Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball
by RadicalReason
Summary: Poor, unattractive, dateless Eloise Midgen. You know, that girl who tried to curse her pimples off. Will the Yule Ball bring love for Eloise? WARNING: Do NOT read this or you may receive a virus containing a forceful love potion from Eloise Midgen.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary**

**Poor, unattractive, dateless Eloise Midgen. You know, that pimply girl who tried to curse them off. Merlin, is she stupid! THINK AGAIN, PEOPLE. The Yule Ball is approaching and still she has no date. (WARNING: Do NOT read this or you may receive a virus containing a forceful love potion from Eloise Midgen, herself. Yes, she is desperate enough to bring a Muggle.)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter world or characters. Those are all from Jo Rowling's beautiful mind. **

Chapter 1

The Yule Ball is somehow even worse than Single's Awareness Day. Every year I have to get through February 14th without puking for two main reasons. Someone might send me a box of trick sweets or the magical cupids from Madam Puddifoot's will somehow find me and we'll shriek at the sight of each other.

Now, I don't mean to sound too bitter, but the truth can never be denied, especially by someone who knows the truth all too well. There will be no solid chocolate hearts for Eloise Midgen. No one would even bother giving me hollow chocolate hearts. I'd have to deal with this in three more months.

But let's just focus on what's happening this month. The Yule Ball. Whoever named it must have been a Disney Princess freak. Yes, I know about Disney. I'm half-blood, after all. I suppose that the Yule Dance doesn't sound as good as the Yule Ball, though.

Already I've been snubbed. Not that I've asked anyone yet. I just can't help hating Ronald Weasley. No, Eloise Midgen isn't good-looking enough for the freckled Ronald Weasley. Don't think I'm deaf. I know things that most people don't seem to notice. I think it's because I practically blend into the wall.

Believe me, the blending isn't always bad. It can be a relief on some days. It feels like I'm not really living, I'm just passing through and no one can touch me. But the times that I feel the most invisible are probably times that I am most visible, if that makes sense.

So I was innocently walking along...

"Well - you know," Ron had said to Hermione with a shrug. "I'd rather go alone than with - with Eloise Midgen, say."

Isn't he just charming?

It is obvious to anyone with eyes that Ron fancies Hermione. Why can't he or Hermione realize that? They're the only two people in this school who are completely oblivious to Ron's weakness for bushy hair and buck teeth.

I know I'm being mean. But Hermione isn't much better. She's so self-righteous. Does she think that house-elves seriously WANT to be freed? They'd be begging to come back to their old masters. It's their way of life. She is taking away their culture and very essence itself! Their name would have to be changed to something like we're-not-house-elves or maybe independent-elves.

"Her acne's loads better lately - and she's really nice!" Hermione protested.

Oh, I had acne? I really hadn't noticed. But of course, Hermione is a know-it-all.

"Her nose is off-center," Ron grumbled, looking away from Hermione.

Hmm, you'd think that I didn't own a mirror.

Hermione snapped a quick retort and left.

It wasn't exactly a coincidence that I was in the Gryffindor common room at the time. I'm a Hufflepuff. Yes, I know that name sounds fluffy and cutesy, but I am anything but. If you haven't heard of Hufflepuff, I'll give you a quick overview. Hufflepuffs always manage to come in last for the House Cup. Professor Sprout is our Head of House. She teaches Herbology. Hufflepuffs are supposed to be loyal and kind, but the other houses just think of us as either wimps or the leftovers that wouldn't fit into any other House. Does Hufflepuff ring a bell for you yet?

Well, speaking of bells, I had noticed Katie Bell, the Gryffindor's best Chaser, and Neville Longbottom, that poor boy with the toad, in the hallway. "I've forgotten the password again!" he cried, dismayed.

Katie sighed, but replied, "Its balderdash, Neville," and walked off, leaving a confused Neville behind. She didn't seem to hear him call out her name again, even more anguished.

So, I was just curious to see the Gryffindor's common room. I borrowed some Polyjuice Potion from a seventh year Slytherin. Merlin, he must have been really thick not to notice what it was. I saw him drinking it straight, from a flask without any hairs in it. Did he seriously enjoy drinking that? Well, maybe it is just tasteless before you put any essence of whoever you want to turn into.

I plucked a very stubborn hair from a Gryffindor girl who was dozing off in front of me during Professor Binn's lecture.

Now, I know Hufflepuffs are supposed to be sweet, slightly wimpy, too trusting people, but that's way too stereotypical. Seriously, I could be a mass murderer and no one would even notice.

But the main reason why I went through all of the trouble to get to the Gryffindor common room was because I thought I would be caught. I know, that sounds weird - I agree, but its 100 percent true. Someone might finally realize that I'm not just that dumb Hufflepuff girl who had to have her nose reattached. It would be fun to see their faces when they realized this.

Everyone looks at me, poor, unattractive Eloise Midgen, and thinks, "If I make a magical potion that cures pimples immediately, I could make LOADS off this girl."

The bad thing about being invisible sometimes is that other times you are all too visible. Thankfully, guys have brains of dung, so they don't come up with witty remarks about me. If they did I would probably end up being comforted by Moaning Myrtle. Sometimes I think she has it better than me. She's already dead.

I really want to prove people wrong. It is one of my main goals in life. That's why the whole Polyjuice Potion thing. People think I'm dumb just because of that one time when I tried to curse all of my acne off. Obviously it didn't work.

But I didn't get caught. I'm both relieved and disappointed. I wonder what people would have said about me once they realized that I had somehow tricked my way into the Gryffindor common room. Would they be awed? Confused? Disappointed? Angry? In love? Hehe... Yep, someone would fall for little old me because of my cunning, devious ways. I'm a soap opera villain waiting to debut! Eh, no scratch that!

Was I hurt by Ronald Weasley's unoriginal thoughts concerning me? Yes. Was I going to admit it? Well I guess I just did... The pigeon is out of the cage.

**XVX**

"Eloise Midgen," I heard a Ravenclaw say to a Beauxbatons boy with a shrill giggle. (The girl had the shrill giggle, not the Beauxbatons boy...) I glanced casually their way and the Ravenclaw giggled even more shrilly. I should have just told her to shut up, but Eloise Midgen doesn't do that and it would have taken away from my invisibility. Though, I wasn't feeling very invisible right then.

The Beauxbatons boy looked over at me with a curious expression. When he caught my eye, he smiled.

Cute. Boy. OVERLOAD.

Beeeeeeeeep. Beeeeeeeeep. Beeeeeeeeep.

Ctrl. Alt. Delete.

Restart…

I hadn't taken a bath today…. or yesterday, for that matter. My hair was probably icky and greasy.

This was so not my day.

They were talking about me. WHY WERE THEY TALKING ABOUT ME?

I resisted the urge to look over at him.

Okay, what the hell. I looked.

He was still looking. Gah!

Crapulous.

I walked away at a brisk pace away from Beauxbatons boy and Ravenclaw girl.

Eloise Midgen may not be a very fast runner, but she's damn good with invisibility.

**Good? Bad? Please Review. I just want to know how many people have read this. You don't even really have to write anything. You could just be like... "Toast." Have you ever heard of the Toast song? It will blow your mind! It is by an awesome band from Ohio. A friend of mine has a cousin in Ohio who burned her all these songs. At a school 3-day camping trip we were singing it. I still can't get the French part of the song. I'm taking French, but I'm pathetic at it. But I will probably delete this if I don't get a review. I'll think it is bad. So PLEASE REVIEW and save a poor girl's ego! I can guarantee a new chapter by next week. Well, actually I take that back. I might put up a new chapter by next week... or tomorrow...**

**YEAH TOAST! FRENCH TOAST!**

**-R**

**But don't worry about our heroine. She will be strong! She will prevail! **

**SHE WILL BE THE NEW FACE OF GIRL POWER! (A pimply face, but still...)**


	2. Chapter 2

**YAY! UPDATE TIME!**

Chapter 2

Merlin, girls are so ridiculous. You would think that they were being chased by Lethifolds by the way they scamper around. But I doubt they would be wearing skimpy outfits just for a Lethifold. Love is in the air and it smells gross.

The guys are just as pathetic, too. They whine about dancing, but probably can't wait to put their arms around a living, breathing girl without McGonagall telling them off for unsuitable conduct. Let our hair down, my arse! She will keep every luscious lock pinned flat to her head!

Dumbledore has been cheery lately. Every time he passes a small group of boys nervously glancing in the direction of a giggling flock of girls he gets a twinkle in his eyes. I thought he was crying at first, but it was just the soft shine of his spectacles.

Granger was as brown as ever. She seemed to disapprove those flocks of girls as if they were beneath her. I don't argue with her on that, but she was doing the self-righteous, "I am so much more clever than you, therefore I must be a god," thing.

"Werewolves are not beasts," she complained to anyone who would listen, "and they do not deserve to be treated that way! They shouldn't even be in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them !" She waved the book in Ron's face dangerously.

"Err, yeah," said Ron, staring after Fleur Delacour as she tossed her silvery hair.

"I can't believe that witches and wizards can persecute someone like that! They are humans! They just have... a condition."

"Hermione, we KNOW," said Harry patiently. His hair ruffled slightly in the breeze. After that impressive bit of flying with the Horntail, Harry was getting quite a few admirers. They all huddled into groups, sometimes throwing Hermione furious looks, which she either ignored or didn't notice. "Lupin was a great teacher." He gazed out across the Black Lake. I followed his line of vision.

The afternoon sun reflected on the water, sending molten sparks dancing across the surface with every ripple in the water, which alerted me to the presence of what I thought, was probably the giant squid. A few Slytherins skipped rocks across the lake, toward the giant squid. They laughed and jeered at each other, cheering when someone came close to it. The dark shape beneath slipped away.

"And the Merpeople, too!" cried Hermione in what she probably thought was a passionate tone.

I resisted the urge to snap, "Yeah, but they CHOSE the beast status on their own!" She should have read that in one of her precious books.

"Hmm?" Ron was still watching Fleur with a dazed, dreamy look on his face, though his mouth tightened slightly and eyes seemed to narrow. Maybe it was just the sun in his eyes.

"Ron!" Hermione was alerted by the tone in his voice. "You haven't been listening at all," she accused.

"Humph." She hadn't quite managed to get his attention. He was still glaring across at Fleur. I wondered why.

"Boys," muttered Hermione under her breath.

I followed Ron's line of vision and saw that Fleur had joined someone. His hair was a blond color, a few shades darker than Fleur's and it was ruffled messily. His nose was long and proud; chin stubborn, mouth soft and the most scrumptious shade of pink I had ever seen. Ah, my new favorite color. I didn't seem to remember that my favorite color had been dark purple up until a minute ago.

His brows were level and dark, which accented his bright green eyes well. They were framed with thick, dark lashes. I could imagine them lightly brushing my cheek, tickling. There was a playful manner in the way he studied Fleur, sort of as if he wasn't really considering her, but as if he was almost mocking her. Though his eyes were wide with innocence, he was probably about as innocent as a Niffler. Cute and gentle, but destructive when searching for shiny objects.

He was talking to the most gorgeous witch in Europe. I watched as her silvery-blonde hair billowed in the wind. She deftly caught it all up in an elaborate icy blue scarf. Every strand was perfectly in place.

HOW DOES SHE DO THAT? SHE CAN'T BE HUMAN! I groaned quietly to myself as she turned her dazzling smile on her helpless prey

Amazingly, he didn't even drool. He just glanced at her coolly.

His eyes looked away from her and met mine. It was a strange shock for me. How could he see me when no one else could? Ah. It was the Beauxbatons boy who had been talking to that Ravenclaw about me.

His playful eyes met my slightly annoyed ones. His mouth twitched slightly, but he turned back to Fleur.

I let out a soft sigh of relief and quickly moved behind a crowd of other Hufflepuff girls who were shamelessly ogling Cedric Diggory. I almost rolled my eyes, but that would take away from my helpful Eloise Midgen cover.

I slipped past the girls and sat down behind a pillar, clutching my knees to my chest.

This. Could. Not. Be. Happening.

"Hello," said a soft voice somewhere above my head.

**Please R & R!**

**(I think I had too much fun comparing the guy to a Niffler… Hehe…)**

**And don't worry. Beauxbatons Boy is a fast runner…**

**-R**


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: JKR is the creator of HP and all other characters. I don't own anything. Not Harry Potter, not a castle, not a dragon (but neither does JKR). The only thing I do own... this crappy laptop that doesn't even have Microsoft Word! Or internet. So I have to write this on Notepad and then copy it to a word document on the family computer. **

**This is the first story that I have written and put on fanfiction, but I think it is going along well. In this chapter Eloise Midgen will progress from running away to saying something. Whoa. At this rate Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball will have 100 chapters before we get to the kinky stuff. Ooh. **

**Oh, and you're gonna be in for a real shocker soon... Not in this chapter... Not in the next chapter... Not in the fifth chapter either... Soon, though. **

Chapter 3

I didn't even bother to look up – I started to run.

It took him about ten seconds to catch up to me. Two factors were involved with this. Factor A: I can't run to save my life. Factor B: ...

Actually there's only one factor.

He reached across and firmly grabbed my upper arm. That was bad.

I abruptly stopped and he kept running. We ended up sprawled on the floor.

He got up quickly and pulled me up.

"You okay?"

I nodded.

"Okay..."

ELOISE MIDGEN, SAY SOMETHING! NOW!

"Um. Thanks?"

NOT THAT!

His eyebrows came together slightly as he nodded, unsure.

"You're Eloise Midgen, right?" he asked.

"Yes," I said, for lack of something cooler to say.

ELOISE MIDGEN, DON'T THINK OF ANYTHING COOL TO SAY! THAT'S IDIOTIC. THAT'S WHAT THOSE DUMB FAN GIRLS WOULD BE THINKING.

Ugh. The thought of fan girls immediately snapped me out of it... whatever 'it' was.

"Well, I gotta go now," I said quickly. I almost smiled, pleased with myself. I turned back the way I had run and decided not to say bye. It would give him the wrong idea.

"Okay. I'll see you later."

I mumbled something incoherently. I couldn't tell what it was, but neither could he.

**XVX**

I yawned and tried to forget about him.

I was back by the edge of the Black Lake and back to my "I hate dumb girls and certainly don't want to become one" attitude. This was comforting and familiar.

"Hello, Pimply," said a smooth, feminine voice. I didn't have to look up to tell who it was. Pansy Parkinson, aka Malfoy's number one fan girl. Her band of girls shrieked in laughter.

How is that supposed to be funny? I don't see how she even made it to fourth year.

"Hello, Pugnacious Bitch," I replied cheerily. Whoa. They were speechless, staring at me blankly. I had no idea that they were dumb enough not to know what pugnacious meant.

Oh, it might have been that they were confounded because I had replied.

Crap, I was still stuck in "I hate dumb girls and certainly don't want to become one" attitude. I needed to go back to "I am Eloise Midgen" mode so that no one would flip out about body snatchers.

But I really wanted to be in my angry mode! And what was the fun in life without drastically freaking out people who talk shit about you if you couldn't trash them back? Okay... I admit it... Maybe I am going on to "CRAZY ANGRY!" mode.

I smiled at Parkinson and co. She looked unsettled and perplexed.

Whoa, this was fun! And I hadn't even gotten to the goods yet!

Parkinson plastered an uneven sneer onto her face.

I laughed out loud. Hysterically. Maniacally. Her sneer didn't fade, but it pained her.

"What's going on here?" asked a shrill voice. NOOO!

Hermione.

"Eloise," she whispered to me loudly. "Don't listen to them."

Pansy's sneer became wider. There was a feral glint in her beady eyes.

"Granger... So glad you could join us."

I slipped back into the very uncomfortable Eloise Midgen. "Hermione, it's fine," I assured her with a dorky flash of a smile.

"Are you sure...?" she said nervously.

"Perfectly."

"Granger, how is the fishing going? Catch anything yet? Maybe a tiny dose of love potion might help. The bait isn't looking too good," Pansy said with mock concern. Her smile twisted her face into a particularly ugly expression.

Hermione's fingers dug into my arm and I winced. "Ignore her. Ignore her. Ignore her..." she repeated over and over, more to herself than to poor Eloise. It was a personal mantra. I noticed her eyes seemed a little moist. Maybe I didn't like her much, but I HATED Parkinson.

"Has Draco asked you yet, Pansy?" I asked her in my sweetest dim-witted voice.

"Of course he has!" she replied quickly, sharply, instantly knowing what I meant.

"Really?" I put on a disinterested expression. "He might be a little more preoccupied with the new arrivals." I noticed her glance flicker to the cluster of Slytherin boys who had been skipping stones across the lake a few minutes ago. Now they were entertaining a group of Beauxbatons. "...But it is nice that your relationship is so trusting - on your side." A low blow, I know.

I pried off Hermione's fingers from my arm and dragged her back to Ron and Harry. She was looking at me, dumbstruck. I didn't meet her gaze. I just deposited her back to where she came from and left.

Poor girl. At least I wasn't a Muggle-born. But at least she wasn't as ugly as I was. SHE didn't have to deal with the constant torment that always ragged on me. Everywhere I looked I got pitied or laughed at.

Well, I'm sorry Ronald Weasley, that my nose position isn't what you prefer, but I have absolutely no control over that at all!

Idiot.

**Hope you enjoyed it! Eloise Midgen is strong, but maybe not strong enough to deal with something that I may/may not throw at her in a future chapter. **

**The Pansy incident is the first of many to come. **

**Oh, and this time when I got out of the shower I was thinking (It really isn't my fault that I get my ideas in hot showers! I came up with Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball in the shower. It's where I get my best ideas!)... Someone should write Harry Potter and the Towel Girl. In an interview on the HP3 DVD they talked about a towel girl. Someone should really write that, only make it happen to Harry instead of Dan. (And if you're the one to write it, make sure to thank me for the idea.)**

**Writing this is seriously addicting... I may have a risk of becoming dependant on Midgen. She is the LAST person someone would want to be dependant on. Or is she...? Hmm. I wonder about B-Boy...**

**Thanks for reading.**

** -R**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: Nope, I'm still not JKR... And I definitely can't write down accents as well as she can!**

**The Beauxbatons boy doesn't have an accent because he is a lot better than Fleur (at speaking in English). I mean - Fleur is pretty good, but in France most people can speak English REALLY well. They start at an early age. Fleur is still trying to get rid of her accent. (Crappy excuse for not giving the boy an accent, I know. But I just CAN'T deal with TWO French accents, which is why you will probably never hear Madame Maxime talk or Fleur talk ever again. Though I will admit that accents can be hot... Hehe.)**

**My French teacher was telling us about how if we go to France we can get around well, but that going to another country and then just expecting them to speak in English for you is rude. As long as you make an effort at speaking their language, its okay. I'll probably just go around with a sign that says "Parlez-vous anglais?" **

**ENJOY...**

Chapter 4

"She's perfect," he said to Fleur, awe in his voice. "That Ravenclaw was right! I'm not quite sure if she'll want to participate with me, though."

I was returning from the kitchens, arms laden with piles of brownies from overeager house-elves, and heard voices around the corner. So I stayed put. Only to find out that it was - GAH! - Beauxbatons Boy.

"Of course shee vill. Ze girl vill do anyfink wiv a gorgeous Beauxbatons boy like yourselv," Fleur's seductive voice cooed.

I snuck a peek at them, assuming that he was caught up in a bright smile.

I was wrong.

They didn't see me anyway.

They were both back in their pale blue robes. It was late. Why were they both here?

"We need a plan or something," his soft male voice replied.

"Zis girl vill not zay no!"

"I guess. Not many girls get chances like this," I could tell that he was smiling. His ego must be the size of Asia. I smirked.

Wait!

Oh, Merlin! He wasn't going to... ask me...

Shit!

ELOISE MIDGEN! PLUG YOUR FREAKIN' EARS AND GET OUTTA THERE! I WOULDN'T EVER LET HIM OR ANY OTHER DIM-WITTED MALE MAKE ME FALL IN LOVE.

They are all idiots and they will leave eventually. Sooner than usual in my case.

I let out a whimper, which I quickly muffled with my hand. I took off my shoes and tried to tread as softly as I could in my socks. And as soon as I got back to the Hufflepuff common room I threw myself at the squashy yellow couch. My piles of brownies were left on the table, forgotten.

How could I let myself be so easily overtaken? It just wasn't... RIGHT. He's seventeen. I'm only fourteen. Fifteen in a few months, but still. I would only have four or five months of time with him anyway. Was that REALLY worth it? I would be left here to attempt to move on. Or do SOMETHING with the leftover pieces.

Well, at least he hadn't asked yet. I could just hide for the next month. And if he managed to find me I would just say no. Just say no. That's all it would take. I sighed and managed a weak smile.

He's probably not going to ask anyway. They didn't actually SAY my name or anything. If I thought he was going to ask me to the Yule Ball and he wasn't I would get hurt anyway.

I glanced over the common room, with pride at sustaining my dignity. My eyes rested on the brownies, no longer warm.

Now I would always remember Fleur Delacour as the girl who ruined brownies for me. Just another reason to hate her.

**It was a short chapter, I know. I'M SORRY!**

**NO ONE GAVE ME ANY NAME SUGGESTIONS! I AM DISSAPPOINTED IN YOU! (I shouldn't feel so sorry...)**

**Luckily a friend rescued me. S (scholarlydimwit), you are awesome! You've saved my ass too many times! With all the French homework that I didn't do... and NOW I owe you more than ever! You memorized 73 French names for guys! You are awesome! I owe you, S! And I hoped you enjoyed these chapters. (Never reveal the top-secret info that I told you this afternoon!) **

**Tell me how you like the name Julien for Beauxbatons Boy. **

**Oh, and just so you know... that wasn't the shocker... 'The Plan' part, I mean. (Evil cackle.) The shocker part is STILL coming. **

**Be patient, my children. (All will be revealed in due time.)**

**-R**


	5. Chapter 5

**DISCLAIMER: I WASN'T JO ROWLING YESTERDAY. I'M NOT JO ROWLING TODAY. I DON'T THINK THAT JKR TALKS ABOUT DERRIERES.**

**And I just want to say that no one knows much about Midgen. It doesn't say if she's a Muggle-born or half-blood, but I felt like she was more like a half-blood. That's only me, though. **

**Whoa. Chapter FIVE already? Whoa.**

Chapter 5

"Hey! Eloise!"

"Hm?" I looked around. Oh, crap! It might be... HIM.

I swiftly ducked through a group of Durmstrang boys and slipped into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. With any luck she wouldn't be there.

"ELOISE!"

Ha! Beauxbatons students didn't know that this bathroom was Moaning Myrtle's. They probably didn't know who Moaning Myrtle was. Lucky.

I congratulated myself, smiling.

"Eloise?" a voice came from the door.

My smile slid to my toes.

I looked up.

And smiled again.

"Hey, Justin." It was only Justin Finch-Fletchley, a fellow Hufflepuff.

"Why didn't you stop?" his eyes accused me.

"I...erm...didn't hear you," I said quickly.

"Oh, okay," he smiled. He was the essence of a true Hufflepuff. Loyal, sweet, and wayyy too trusting, but his "superiority" was annoying sometimes.

"I sort of need your advice...," he said uncomfortably. "Um, do you think I should ask Hannah Abbott to the Yule Ball?" His usual pompousness was gone.

This is ridiculous. Just the tiniest mention of a ball and suddenly the whole school is more aware of the opposite sex. It's a freaking ball! As in the GRAND ball that Cinderella went to. Justin - of all people - should understand this, being a Muggle-born. I'm only half-blood.

I pulled Eloise Midgen back over my personality. "You're going to ask Hannah out? That's GREAT, Justin!"

Whoa. That wasn't Eloise Midgen! WHO DID I JUST USE TO SMOTHER MY USUAL PERSONALITY? It was too eager, too bright.

"Oh, erm, okay then." Justin had noticed. "I'll just be going... You came into this bathroom for a reason... Erm... So I'll leave you to it."

I must have creeped out poor Justin. I almost sniggered. Poor boy. He probably thought it was PMS or something. All the signs add up... Bathroom... Mood swings... (Okay, so only two signs.)

I waited a few minutes after Justin had left and went back to the hallway, bumping into...

HIM.

He was in his robes that I had seen yesterday, hair slightly tousled, eyes bright when he saw me. "Um, hi." No wonder some people consider my intelligence.

He smiled big. "Hello. I'm Julien. I know who you are, of course. Eloise Midgen."

"How exactly do you know my name?" I snapped.

His smile faltered. "I've heard of you from... friends."

"Oh, I see," I said icily. He wasn't about to tell me why he heard about me.

"Well... I've gotta-"

He cut me off. "Why don't we go to the Great Hall together?"

"Um, sure." I wasn't sure if he had registered my pained expression.

He grinned anyway.

Ron and Hermione were bickering. "You see - ELOISE is probably going with someone," she said to Ron. "It's a good thing that MOST boys choose kind girls above a mean, bubble-head Barbie!"

As we passed them I could hear Weasley say, "What's a Barbie?" A blonde, flirtatious, Beauxbatons girl from France.

Julien and I walked in an uncomfortable silence. Finally I said, "Okay, thanks for walking me here. Bye!"

I joined the Hufflepuff table without looking back at him.

Hannah Abbott came up to me, smiling widely. "Justin asked me to the Yule Ball!" she squealed.

"That's nice," I said emotionlessly.

"I KNOW! ISN'T IT?!" her bubbliness was so overwhelming that it had sucked all of mine right out of me. Not that I had any concerning the stupid Yule Ball, anyway. Why do they have to call it a freaking BALL? Why not just a DANCE? But somehow the 'Yule Dance' doesn't sound as good as the 'Yule Ball'. I should send an owl to my Muggle mother and tell her that I'm going to a grand ball.

No wonder dress robes were on the list. Why did I have to get those ugly rags that were once my great-grandmother's? I had never been much of a fashionista. Living at Hogwarts smothers that all out of you. The only times that you can ever NOT wear the uniform are on weekends or at night. MOST girls just wear pajamas at night...

After lunch I would have double Divination. Great. Two full hours with Trelawney telling me that my great-grandmother will soon suffer a stroke or that I was born under an unfortunate moon. That lady is over a hundred and she's still thriving. How is that POSSIBLE?

I yawned. I couldn't sleep last night after hearing about 'The Plan' so I pulled an all-nighter and finished all of my assignments. Hermione would have been proud.

"Hello again," said a cool voice.

"Hi."

"I'm just wondering if we can be - friends...?" He smiled, eyes big and innocent. That boy is TOTAL Niffler material. I know I've said it many times, but he WILL sniff out my heart and then try to eat it.

And what are you supposed to say if someone asks to be - friends? No?

"Sure...?" was what I replied weakly.

He grinned and somehow all anger at being tricked into being friends with him seemed to melt.

As soon as he left my anger was pulsing again. It was now a gooey, sappy ball of anger, but it was still thriving. I don't know what just happened to

Note to self: Stay away from Julien.

Note to self: Stop thinking about him as 'Julien'. He will now be known as Beauxbatons Boy.

**So… what do you think of the name 'Julien' and the story overall?**

**-R**


	6. Chapter 6

I wrote this a little before midnight a few days ago. I couldn't sleep and I was getting really annoyed.

Chapter 6

Somehow his lips found mine, even in the blanket of darkness that surrounded us. I felt his hot, warm pulse under my fingers, as I pulled his face down to mine. His hair was mussed crazily, sexily. I let my hand wander up his jaw and treaded my fingers through it. He pressed his face into my neck and I seemed to forget everything. Where I was. How this started. That I was ugly. He wrapped his arms around me and cuddled me to his chest. It was remarkably warm and well-muscled.

I felt precious. Special. Beautiful. Delicate. There was only us, if that makes sense. If it doesn't, too bad.

There didn't seem to be time. I don't mean this as in we were rushed and out of time. I mean this as in it didn't exist. The only thing that existed was us and whatever existed between us. I could have stayed there for hours or seconds. I couldn't tell. I just WAS.

He took his time, gently probing into my mouth. I wasn't even embarassed about the fact that my saliva glands were working an extra shift. My emotions were to strong to have enough feeling left to be embarassed.

He lay me softly against the base of a tree. The roots seemed to curl around my body, softly caressing the bend of my knees, my neck. There was a tree? This thought barely registered to my brain.

"I love you," he whispered, leaning forward over my body. His hair brushed my cheeks and I twirled a strand around my pinky. His lips planted a kiss on my forehead, but then he paused, body tensed under my hands.

"Do you love me?"

I woke up lying on my back.

That would NEVER happen. I wouldn't let it.

I'm Eloise Midgen. Eloise Midgen is ugly.

I can't help ragging on myself. It's my teen survival instinct kicking in. I just can't help it.

But he LIKES you.

No, he doesn't. He just wants to be friends - sort of.

But then how do you explain 'The Plan'?

It was... Probably just a plan to become friends. Ha ha, it worked - sort of.

But Fleur talked about how you couldn't possibly say no to him.

She meant "no" as in "No, I won't be friends."

But you didn't think that before...

SHUT THE HELL UP!

...

Eloise Midgen doesn't give in. Eloise Midgen is stubborn. Eloise Midgen hates fangirls and their stupid fan clubs. Eloise Midgen thinks that the feminine side of the female race is completely crazy and idiotic.

...

Eloise Midgen did not just have that dream.

...

NOW, watch this pocketwatch swing back and forth... Back... Forth... You are feeling veeerrrry sleepy. Veeerrryyy, veeeerrrrrrrrryyy sleeeppyy.

...

When I snap my fingers Eloise Midgen will forget the dream. Eloise Midgen is you, remember? That's a rhetorical question.

...

When I snap my fingers again Eloise Midgen will wake up and not remember any trace of the dream.

...

...

What dream?

Nothing, shut up and go back to sleep.

I love Eloise Midgen and her multiple-personality disorder (which I will soon name).

Was it too obvious that she was dreaming? How was the Beauxbatons Boy/Eloise Midgen scene?

R&R (No, it doesn't stand for rest and relaxation.)

-R


	7. Chapter 7

**DISCLAIMER: Don't rub it in. I am not Jo Rowling. I wish I had Polyjuice Potion. I could take over her identity... Okay. Scratch that. I sound like a lunatic.**

**The little asterisk thingies haven't been showing up. So whenever I used them before now to indicate a different time it probably seemed like it was the same time or something... So now I'm using XvX instead of three asterisks.**

**This is so addicting. Writing on here, I mean. I think I've only been writing this story for a less than a week and this is chapter SEVEN!**

Chapter 7

"Hey, Louise!"

I HAD been happily munching on toast. Now I felt as if I was trying to chew rubber. I set down my toast and discreetly spat out the toast into my napkin, trying to make it look like I was just innocently wiping my mouth...

"Hi," I said back, wearily watching him as he walked towards the Hufflepuff table. Whoop-de-doo. Now I had a nickname. "It's just Eloise, though."

"Oh, I know," he said cheerily.

I can't stand morning people. They're either crazy or have a constant caffeine high or get to bed early. I had a feeling that he was just crazy.

I yawned, eyes watering. I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before for some reason. Or maybe it just FELT like I hadn't gotten much sleep. Nights pass too quickly.

I saw Hannah Abbott quirk her eyebrow at me as Julien slid into the seat next to me. He smiled. His hair was a little mussed. Had he brushed it when he woke up?

Oh.

The dream. NOW I remembered it. Do people normally dream about their "friends" like that? Unless they're friends with benefits... Ugh.

I'm not a "friends with benefits" type of person. Eloise Midgen is a pimply, dorky, awkward teenager. Not a self-assured, sexy... Okay, I'm killing myself here. SHUT UP LOUISE! GAH! NOW I'M CALLING MYSELF LOUISE!

ELOISE MIDGEN, LOOK AT THIS GUY.

I looked at him.

SEE?

Well, I had a point there. He was a gorgeous French teenager. OLDER teenager.

ELOISE, his maturity level is CLEARLY higher than most guys you have met.

Shut up, Louise. (OMG! YAY! I FINALLY HAVE A NAME FOR MY ALTER-EGO! Oops. I mean... DAMN YOU ALTER-EGO!)

Yeah, shut up, Eloise. I think you're flattering yourself to have such an awesome alter-ego like me. (Don't forget. I can read your thoughts too...) How are you my alter-ego anyway? I'm too cool to have ELOISE MIDGEN as MY alter-ego.

Well, you, LOUISE, are called LOUISE. SO HA!

Okay... Then who is Julien talking to when he says LOUISE?

Me.

No. ME.

"Um, Louise...?"

(SIGH.) BOTH OF US.

Deal.

Shake on it?

No, that would look creepy. Plus you can't shake hands with a right hand and a left hand.

"Louise...?"

"Hmm?" Oops. "Uh, yeah?"

His green eyes were softened in concern. And were directly on my pimply face. At least that cold sore went away.

Hmm. Is Eloise the badass one...? Or is it Louise...?

Eloise is the unsure, crazy one, okay Honey? She's the one who tried to curse her pimples off and had to have her nose reattached.

Then Louise is the angry one who definitely has a thing for Julien. The one who hates Trelawney and Granger. The one who thought she should be a soap opera villain.

DID NOT!

DID TOO!

I TOOK IT BACK!

"Louise?"

"Huh? What? I'm back."

"Back from where?" Julien's eyes sparkled.

"Um. Back from the dead. Woo!"

"Glad you found time to grace the living with your superior company then," but he smiled.

I shrugged. "I can't help being wanted."

Whoa. That was DEFINITELY YOU speaking, Louise.

Yeppers.

Well, DON'T.

Why not?

Because you can't act cocky like that because you're Eloise Midgen.

No, YOU'RE Eloise. I'm Louise.

I looked up at Julien. He had a weird expression on his face. Part guilty, part sad, and part annoyed. A devastating combination.

"Are YOU okay?" I asked him, tentatively. He probably wouldn't tell me.

I was right.

"Yeah," he put on a forced smile that didn't really suit him.

"If you say so," I murmured.

"Hey Eloise! Pass the jam!" I handed the strawberry jam to Justin.

"Thanks!" he said with an obvious wink as he very pointedly sat down next to Hannah. Uh, were we now in cahoots or something?

"I'd better go back to my table. See you." He slid out of his seat to join the rest of the Beauxbatons at the Ravenclaw table.

XvX

"I really want to thank you for your advice," Justin said happily before Defense Against the Dark Arts started.

"I really didn't say much..."

"Yeah, you did!"

"Um. Okay." I really wasn't much of a matchmaker though.

He left soon to sit next to Hannah, who looked pleased.

I sat alone.

I don't know if you've noticed, but I don't really have friends. I'm just THERE. Justin only asked me what I thought because he knew that I wouldn't tell Hannah if he suddenly Flobberwormed out of it.

Flobberworms don't do much. Do they MATE?

How else would they reproduce, Eloise?

Well, both ends look the same. Maybe they're a cross species or something.

I wonder what a cross between Eloise Midgen and Julien would be.

Probably something awful, Louise.

The kid may not even look like you!

I would never condemn a kid with my genes.

I would with mine!

That's because you have the dumb gene. Now, go away.

**My inner conversations are ALMOST as weird as Eloise and Louise's.**

**I hate the icky strawberry Mike and Ikes. I like strawberries, but that artificial flavor is just nasty. (But I'll eat them anyway. It would be a waste because half of them are strawberry and my sister has braces even though she's eighteen. She isn't getting them off in time for prom, which sucks. But she has a gorgeous dress.)**

**For some reason I was just thinking about the cross between Eloise Midgen and a turnip. Well, at first it started out like "TURNIPS!" and it progressed to Eloise Midgen and a turnip. Really random, I know. Ew, but turnips are veggies... so they don't have seeds. Erm.**

**Thanks for reading! Sorry for creeping you out about germination, though.**

**-R**

**No one answered when I asked if Julien was a good name for B Boy. (Good choice? Bad choice? Feedback PLEASE!)**

**So... what did you think of Louise? I had Louise in the last chapter (except she hadn't had a name then) and since I kept thinking of Eloise as Louise I decided that would be her name. Do you think the whole Eloise/Louise thing is too weird for even Eloise? I want to hear your HONEST opinions and I want you to mercilessly yell at me for something or other. Or if you really DON'T have anything to say, just write "jam" and that will be enough. If you like it (the chapter) write "strawberry jam" or your preferred type of jam or preservatives. It's marmalade for me. Mm.**


	8. Chapter 8

**DISCLAIMER: Jo Rowling OWNS Harry Potter's gorgeous bottle-green eyes. AND everything else Harry Potter.**

**I know, scholarlydimwit. You hate short chapters... But what's the fun in LOOONG chapters when I can't make you squirm? I made this longish chapter just for you! (It started out as two chapters, but I combined them.)**

Chapter 8

"So..."

"So..."

This was as interesting as the conversation will ever get.

I felt weird. I was sitting at the Ravenclaw table with Julien because he had tried to convince me to by very sweetly asking. And that's all it took. I felt as if any second Mickey would look over here and tell me to get back to the Hufflepuff table. Then, with all eyes trained on the very invisible Eloise, I would slink back across the room.

"Its okay, no one cares," he said to me.

"I really feel like I should go back," I said anxiously. I was in Eloise Midgen mode today.

He shrugged. "We really need to have you get over this fear of authority."

"It's not a fear of authority," I snapped. It's a fear of you...

He sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'll ambush you later."

I got up and started walking over.

"Hello Mud!"

"Hello Malicious Malfoy," I said carelessly.

"I feel that you don't quite deserve the term Mudblood. You're only half Muggle, after all. Mud might be more suitable for you anyway."

"I could call you Pure. I bet your knickers are white."

"Nothing that a little Mud can't stain."

I ignored him. This would be an ideal moment for Julien to heroically challenge Draco, but of course, he didn't notice and I didn't want him to anyway. I would be the last thing from invisible if he did that. But maybe that's what I wanted...

Malfoy had just spotted Potter, Granger, and Weasley. The perfect moment to escape...

I sat down at my table, next to Hannah. Any other girl or boy would edge away from me. Except for Justin, but he wasn't here yet.

"So how are things with you and Justin?"

"They're great! A few nights ago we stayed up late in the common room just talking the whole time after everyone had already went to bed." Probably snogging too. Ew. Remind me never to EVER get back to the common room late, Louise. That presents a VERY bad visual.

Justin Finch-Fletchley. Snogging Hannah Abbott. My two best friends/potential friends/only friends (except for Julien, the "friend?").

"Have you finished that Potions essay for Snape yet?" I asked her anxiously. Yep. Definitely Eloise.

"Yeah," she said. "Didn't you?"

"Uh..."

"You didn't, did you?!" Hannah accused.

"It was one roll of parchment, right?"

"No, TWO! And don't answer my questions with questions!"

"Two?!" I groaned.

"It's okay. You can look over my notes and just take some phrases from it to put in yours. You only have a little more to go, right?" Hannah looked at me.

"I only finished half a roll."

"We have Potions NEXT, Eloise!" she snapped.

"Thanks for being so helpful, MOTHER."

"Well if you did your work and paid attention in class I wouldn't be scolding you right now!"

"Need help?" a voice asked from behind me.

I was about to yell an angry retort, but then I looked into his bright eyes and found myself nodding.

I hurried back to the Hufflepuff dormitory to get a quill, ink, and parchment. I barely heard what he was saying, so Hannah had to whisper it all into my ear as he talked. Somehow I managed to get it all done a few seconds after lunch had ended.

"Thank you so much for your help," I whispered fervently to Julien. "I gotta go now! I'll see you later!" I had run back to the dormitory to get my books for the next few classes.

XvX

"Late. Again. Midgen."

Idiot.

"I'll take ten points from Hufflepuff for tardiness," Snape was saying loudly, each word enunciated and articulated. Maybe he had played a clarinet when he was younger. Each of his words were short stabs. I handed him my two rolls of parchment wordlessly. The pages were splotched everywhere, but readable enough. Snape sneered. "Did you attempt to write this with an Augurey feather, Midgen? They repel ink, you know. But I suppose you don't know. Well then, another ten points from Hufflepuff for ignorance." Says the man who still thinks that the Kappa originated from China.

I saw Hannah give me a sympathetic glance. Justin looked outraged. He was glaring at Snape so hard that it was surprising that there wasn't a hole through his chest where the heart should have been.

"This essay is utterly worthless. I don't expect that you will do any better next time. Now... we will begin this lesson. Copy the text on this board four times." The enchanted board began to write.

I was left standing there in the middle of the room wishing that I had an Invisibility Cloak or knew how to Apparate. I stiffly walked past the rows of desks to my own, where I sat alone. If I knew where to find an Erumpent I would set it loose in the class.

But I didn't.

Fortunately Louise was hard at work.

XvX

I know it's wrong to manipulate people... but desperate times call for desperate measures.

I sat at the Ravenclaw table, next to Julien. I just sat there for a long time, TRYING to put a distant face on. After about ten minutes he FINALLY noticed. What if my face had stuck like that? Huh? What then?

Well, it wouldn't have made much of a difference.

Shut up, Louise. It's your face too.

"Are you... okay?" he asked.

"Hm?"

"I SAID, 'Are you OKAY?'"

"What - oh."

I'm a terrible actress.

"Um, yeah. I'm fine. Are YOU fine?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," his expression was cautious.

"Okay... that's fine."

"Okay."

I waited for another ten minutes.

"Are you SURE that you're okay?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah. Rough day." I put on a grimace.

"Oh, really? How did your essay go?"

"Bad."

"How do you know that?" he asked, smiling.

"I didn't get a grade," I said quietly, looking down. This might actully WORK...

"Did you lose -"

"NO, I didn't LOSE it!" I snapped at him.

His eyebrows came together. "Then what happened?"

"Snape's being a freaking idiot - that's what!"

"Snape...?"

"Potions teacher."

"Ah."

He paused. "But why didn't he grade it?"

"Apparently it looked like I had written it with a Augury feather."

He hid a grin. "They repel ink."

"Yes, I know that - NOW. But I didn't use an Augury feather and the essay was completely legible. He didn't even ask me to recopy it for half points!" Maybe this little rant could help. "AND he took off TWENTY house points for NO REASON AT ALL."

"Ah."

IS that ALL he says?!

"Is there anything I can do...?"

Ah.

THAT was better.

"YES!" I cried, desperation evident. "Do you own a dragon?!"

He smiled. "No."

I sighed.

"But I DO have a little sister." He grinned mischievously.

"So?" I said, crossly.

"SO... it's payback time."

An identical grin slid across MY face (except his face was a lot prettier). "I like the way you think."

"Ditto."

This friendship thing has great service.

**PLEASE REVIEW**

**MARRCOOO! **

**...**

**Do I hear a "Polo"?**

**...**

**Do I hear a "Polo" PLEASE?**

**...**

**Whoa. This reminds me of orienteering. Remember, scholarlydimwit? Wait, I don't think you were in my orienteering group. Hm. But you might have heard me yelling really loudly...**

**Friendly Legolas Sporker – You think my story is… cute? Well… thanks… I think. I kinda tried to make Eloise intense, but I guess she kinda came out all mushy…**

**Oh, and by the way, scholarlydimwit just started her first fan fiction! It's about Romilda Vane. It's hilarious. It's called Mirrors, Sneers, and Queers (I came up with the title, cause I'm awesome like that) and it is amazing! **

**-R**


	9. Chapter 9

**DISCLAIMER: JK Rowling was probably way cooler than me when she was my age.**

**S, I wrote another longish, mediumish chapter for you, but nothing much happens. SORRY!**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE(s):**

**I wanted to give Eloise and Julien a little BONDING time. In other words - nothing much happens more than two "friends?" talking. But now they're more like 'friends' in my opinion. Soon they may even progress to friends. Then "best?" friends. Then 'best' friends. Then best friends. **

Chapter 9

Soon Julien will have saved me twice! He would be VERY good best friend material. Except for the fact that he looks like a model. No - better than a model. He's here. In person. Solidly 3-D. I let my pinky slide across the table to brush against his sleeve. Yep. 3-D. He's not on the airbrushed page of a magazine. He's HERE in the library with ELOISE MIDGEN - ME!

Why would that be bad? Well, let's recap.

Reason 1 - I CAN'T THINK WHEN HE'S SITTING THERE LOOKING AT ME!

"Hey, what are you thinking?" his soft green eyes crinkled at the corners, but held bright curiosity.

Reason 2 -

Erm. Temporarily frozen. Can't... think.

"Just thinking of ideas..." I said vaguely. Or not thinking of ideas...

"Mm."

He looked away.

Okay, back to reason two. Reason 2 - He is sitting there. Being gorgeous. When I CAN'T be.

Reason 3 - He is leaving at the end of this school year. I don't want to have to go through all the trouble of even falling in love just to have him LEAVE. No doubt, HE'D find someone. It's not as easy for me to find that summer fling.

Reason 4 - NOT ONLY is he LEAVING - HE'S going BACK TO FRANCE! What are the chances of me ever going to France?

Reason 5 - He distracts me.

He turned to me again and tilted his head. "I'm bored."

"You can't be bored if you are thinking," I said dully. I was bored too.

"Lets do something fun," he said, smiling mischievously. He linked his pinky with mine, which was still lying on the table next to him. HELL YEAH! I TOTALLY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING FUN WITH HIM. I'D DO ANYTHING WITH HIM!

Louise! SHUT UP! I have to be SENSIBLE. Now... what were those reasons that I was just thinking about...?

"Like what?" Louise said, looking up into his eyes.

LOUISE! CONTROL YOURSELF!

Hell, no. I don't control myself. That's just not in my nature. That's Eloise. YOU.

Julien shrugged.

"We're supposed to be thinking of some idea to get back at Snape."

"Oh. Yeah." He frowned.

"We could charm the Bludgers to go after him," I suggested, smiling.

"He could DIE!"

"He's a WIZARD."

"How about we make the Bludgers go after him, but not actually hit him hard..."

"But that would take away all the fun from the idea!" I complained.

"We'd get to see him run, though. We could have them follow him around."

"What are you trying to do?" asked Justin, a little too curiously. He would probably be made Prefect next year. No way would I tell him about our "getting back at Snape" ideas. But then again, he also looked at Snape really angrily before.

"Nothing, really," Julien said breezily, deciding for me. No one could be trusted except us.

Justin hung around with us for a few minutes. We didn't say much. "I've got to go now, bye guys," Justin finally said.

I waited until he left to say, "The Bludgers are always kept locked up with the Snitch and Quaffle, though."

"Spells can be broken," he smiled.

"Okay, I'll think about it, then."

"And it'd be funny to see the Snitch buzzing by his ear - and then when he turns..." Julien trailed off, grinning. I gave him a very reluctant grin.

I tried to look more serious... businesslike... I grabbed two books off of a nearby shelf. They were identical copies of _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ . I tossed one to him.

Madam Pince gave me a dirty look. "Books aren't to be thrown, Miss Midgen," she said prissily in her pinched, nasally voice. "If you do that again I will be forced to take away your library privileges."

"Okay." I said. She turned away.

Julien opened to the first page and read aloud. _"A warning: If you rip, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them. Irma Pince, Hogwarts Librarian."_

"I never knew her name was Irma," I said, grimacing. "That's awful."

"Well, it's a lot better than MIDGEN. OUT! NOW!"

"Shit," I said under my breath.

"OUT!" Irma roared. Julien winced. She was standing right by his ear.

"Yes, ma'am," I said quickly, gathering my books in a pile and hoisting the whole pile into my arms.

"LEAVE THE BOOKS!"

"But my Potions book -"

"LEAVE THE BOOKS!"

"Fine." Julien had his hands clapped to his ears.

"YOU ARE NOT TO DEFILE ANY MORE BOOKS EVER AGAIN!"

"Yes ma'am." I scurried out of there.

Julien tried to follow, but she noticed the library book that was still in his possession. "LEAVE THAT BOOK ON THE TABLE."

"Yes," he groaned, jogging back to the table and making sure to lay down the book gently. Then he ran for it.

"YOU'RE STILL HERE?!" She noticed me waiting by the door.

"No," I whimpered and took a few paces back from the door. Hurry, Julien!

Madam Pince hovered near the doorway, slamming the door when Julien stepped through. He grabbed my hand in his and dragged me as far as possible from Irma.

"She's scary," Julien said shakily.

I let out a hollow laugh from his reaction.

"What? She IS!"

"I know." He let go of my hand. "Your first time is always the worst, though."

"Do you expect me to believe that she'll grow on me?"

"That's not what I said! I said that your first time is the worst. Once she realizes that you can be trusted around books, you'll be left alone."

"Your first time was worse than just now?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah. You got off pretty easily."

"But I didn't DO anything!"

I raised my eyebrows. "In her eyes you tried to capture one of her precious books."

"I DID NOT!"

"You would have walked out of there with it if she hadn't rescued the book. They're like her children."

"I can see why she doesn't have any children of her own," he muttered.

This whole thing proves Reason 5. I was completely distracted. And now where was I going to get _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ ?

Ernie Macmillan was passing by us. He gave me and Julien a slightly curious glance. "Hey, Ernie?"

"Yeah?" he was a little surprised. I had never really talked to him, but he was a friend of Hannah and Justin's.

"Do you happen to have a copy _of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ ?"

"In the boys' dormitory..."

"Do you mind if I go in there to get it?"

"Uh, no. I guess...," he said uncertainly. "It's probably in the green bag under my bed. My bed is the one with the charmed poster of that dragon Cedric had to battle."

"Thanks, Ern! I owe you!"

"Yeah..." He looked a little bemused.

"C'mon," I said to Julien, grabbing his hand and pulling him after me.

XvX

"Now, this is CLASSIFIED information..." I told him. "The password is Ballycastle Bats!" I called to the portrait.

"Ballycastle Bats?"

"A Quidditch team," I said, as that explained everything.

"Oh. I'm not very keen on Quidditch," he admitted as he stepped into the Hufflepuff common room.

"Don't tell anyone else that while you stay here. Luckily the days are long gone when you would be mauled by a very outraged Wood."

"A wood?"

"Oliver Wood. Quidditch is his life and only passion. Last year he left school, though. Most other people won't be as hard on you as he would be. The rumor is that he got signed by Puddlemere."

"Puddlemere?"

"Whoa. I thought you were joking."

"I never joke about Quidditch," he said intensely.

"NOW, you sound like one of them."

"Do you think I could ever possibly make someone think that I am a major Quidditch fanatic?"

"No." He turned his woeful eyes on me and made a little puppy face. "You don't even know who Puddlemere United is!"

He sighed and his mask melted off. "Too true..."

"Hey, did Ernie say green bag under his bed or gray bag in his trunk?"

"I think it was green bag under his bed."

"Well, I'm pretty sure it was a gray bag in his trunk." I grabbed Ernie's weathered trunk and dragged it to the center of the room, opening it.

"Yeah, just ignore me..." I heard Julien mutter.

"MERLIN'S FREAKING WOBBLY KNEECAPS!" I gasped.

"What?" Julien said, turning back to me.

**NEXT TIME IN ELOISE MIDGEN AND THE YULE BALL - Pink and fluffy... That's all I'm saying. (Don't milk scholarlydimwit for info! She is mum about this whole thing.)**

**"A warning: If you rip, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them. Irma Pince, Hogwarts Librarian." This is from ** _**Quidditch Through the Ages** _ ** by JK Rowling. No, I didn't write it. I'm not THAT brilliant. **

**(I MIGHT not update for a while. One week at MOST. I have a French exam Tuesday, a French packet due Monday, an English project due Tuesday, and I have to read my friend's book at return it by Monday. SORRY!)**

**Read ** _**Mirrors, Sneers, and Queers** _ ** by scholarlydimwit! IT WILL BLOW YOUR PEA-SIZED BRAIN!**

**This chapter kinda got me thinking... What is more romantic than being told off by Madam Pince and then running away hand-in-hand? Ideas? (I guess it was fighting a mountain troll for Hermione and Ron...)**

**If I ask you to please NOT review will you review? PLEASE?!**

**-R**


	10. Chapter 10

**DISCLAIMER: Not JKR. **

**Whoa. A few people are reading what I'm writing. I bet that a lot of the people who started to read this stopped because the first chapter was confusing. Sorry about that...**

**One of my friends is so lucky! She went to this bar and got two see two bands: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and this other band whose name I can't remember because holy hell - ITS THE FREAKING RED JUMPSUIT APPARATUS! She got them to sign her tickets and the other band signed her shoe. She even hugged RONNIE! According to her he smelled REALLY GOOD. I'm so jealous! They didn't play Cat and Mouse, though (which I am currently listening to). I wonder if they played Your Guardian Angel. That would rip my heart out. **

**Just so you know... Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball is essentially about Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball. I know you're probably thinking that this might just be a story about Eloise Midgen, but it is actually going somewhere and yes, I have written the ending already. Things WILL happen and you WILL be surprised (even you, scholarlydimwit). I hope you haven't forgotten about Fleur and Julien's "Plan" or the time when Julien was talking to that Ravenclaw and Eloise heard her name. **

**Those are all parts of the bigger story (parts which I haven't even told you, scholarlydimwit). And don't you dare milk S for info because she only knows one secret... But I might just tell her the whole plan... And yes, S, I am being cruel to you on purpose. (Cackle. Cackle.) **

**I know that I said that I probably wouldn't write for a while. But I couldn't NOT write. The very day I posted chapter 9 I started to write 10 and 11. And finished 10 and 11. And I just remembered - I have two essays due on Tuesday on top of the English project and French exam that very day! And the French packet is due on Monday. And the book I have to read. AHH! This story may just be the end of my good grades.**

**(I just wanted to post all author notes BEFORE I had the chapter because at the end you just want to savor it, not read a bunch of notes from the author. Oh, and by the way, you could have skipped all of this bolded stuff. Hehe.)**

**-R**

Chapter 10 (DOUBLE DIGITS!)

_"Well, I'm pretty sure it was a gray bag in his trunk." I grabbed Ernie's weathered trunk and dragged it to the center of the room, opening it. _

_"Yeah, just ignore me..." I heard Julien mutter. _

_"MERLIN'S FREAKING WOBBLY KNEECAPS!" I gasped. _

_"What?" Julien said, turning back to me. _

I cleared my throat.

"WHAT?" he said again. I bit my lip to keep from bursting.

I dangled a pair of fluffy pink handcuffs from my index finger right in front of his face. And burst out laughing.

"What the hell is that for?"

"Merlin, you're so FRENCH!" My throat was tightening, it was painful to laugh. "I CAN'T BELIEVE Ernie HAS these!"

Now I was imagining a very nude Ernie handcuffed to a very gorgeous Veela. Ew. Bad visual.

"What IS it?" he asked, almost angrily.

"Be glad you don't know," I said, trying to keep myself from grinning. Oh, dear old Ernie. Where did you go so wrong?

"NO, seriously. WHAT IS IT?"

"It's a... toy." My voice was muffled. I had my knuckles clenched between my teeth to keep from laughing.

Julien looked right at it, disgust making him scowl.

He glanced at me. "Why are you laughing?"

Ow. My knuckles hurt.

I giggled some more from the pain of it all. Hilarity at it's best. "Can you imagine ERNIE with these things?" I choked out.

He rolled his eyes at me.

"Hmm, do you think he'll notice if it goes missing?" I raised an eyebrow at him, grinning.

"What?" he coughed. "You - you're not planning... to USE it are you?" He looked incredulous.

"Hell no!" I cried. Hmm. Actually... "Well, it depends in what way you're talking about when you say 'use.'"

XvX

Julien really was a great wizard, even if he hadn't noticed it himself. I smiled to myself as I slid onto a seat at the Hufflepuff table.

"Eloise," Hannah had a sly smile on her face. "Why are you grinning like that?"

"You'll see..." I couldn't help giggling a little.

It was suppertime and Dumbledore gave a short speech before the golden plates filled with towering mounds of food. Mmm. I piled my plate with everything in my reach and began to eat.

"There's something you aren't telling me," cried Hannah Abbott in a sing-song voice. "Are you going to the Yule Ball with anyone in particular..." She suggestively trailed off.

Ernie spit out a mouthful of what may have been corned beef. Or maybe it was chicken.

"YOU'RE going to the BALL with someone?"

Could he BE anymore of a LOSER? Merlin. Now someone who owned furry handcuffs was INCREDULOUS toward me? And why did they have to bring up the stupid BALL?

"SEVERUS! GET YOUR HANDS AWAY FROM THERE!" McGonagall cried murderously.

Wha-?

"OOOHH!" cried the Gryffindors and Slytherins in unison.

I almost cackled in delight. Phase two of our plan was nearly in order...

Snape had reached across Mickey's chest to grab the pudding. She batted at his arms in flurried, futile motions. Then she finally grabbed his arm, pulling it away from herself.

CLICK!

A puff of pink smoke clouded the whole Great Hall. There were a few startled gasps and pandemonium broke out as a few people shrieked and babbled.

When that awfully vibrant smoke cleared all of us were greeted by a disturbing sight.

McGonagall. And. Snape.

Snape's wimpy chest was bare. Under the table I could see a pair of graying knickers. McGonagall was wearing a beige bra-and-panty set. All of their clothes had (mysteriously) disappeared. What an enigma!

Oh, and I saved the best for last.

A pair of fluffy pink handcuffs encircled each of their wrists tightly, forming a bond between them that could never be broken.


	11. Chapter 11

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Snape's wimpy chest. I don't think there's much to be proud of there...**

**Okay… Well I've been thinking. The first few chapters of this fiction kind of annoy me and they're confusing to a lot of people and there are a lot of typos and stuff, so I've decided that I'll revise the whole thing and post it up. I'll keep this up for a while though, until the revised one is up. The storyline is still going to be the same. Sorry for the inconvenience or whatever you want to call it. **

Chapter 11

_A pair of fluffy pink handcuffs encircled each of their wrists tightly, forming a bond between them that could never be broken. _

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled in the soft light of the candles.

Laughter broke out. First softly - no one wanted to be the only one laughing while McGonagall's wand hand was still free. But then it broke out into a thunderous roar, resembling a lion's. I could hear snatches of conversations. "MERLIN'S SAGGY OLD ARSE!" one of the Weasley twins hollered to Ginny. "Poor McGonagall," whispered Justin from a few seats away. This laughing went on for minutes. I couldn't help laughing along. Hannah looked surprised and curious. She shot me a strange glance and I quickly shushed her. If they said anything I wanted to be able to hear it all.

Snape - the greasy-haired git - tried to cross his arms over his scrawny chest, but the movement tugged McGonagall closer to his naked chest. Hoots and wolf-whistles broke out. Snape's eyes looked black and furious. He may be a slimy git, but he had the rage of a tribe of centaurs. He disgustedly uncrossed his arms as McGonagall tried to pull as far away from him as possible.

She was looking positively livid. Her hair had come out of it's bun and spilled over her shoulders, covering most of her chest. I felt kinda bad for her. She now gave new meaning to the phrase, "Let our hair down."

It was too bad that she had the misfortune of having to sit next to Snape.

Louise had come up with a plan. She had been bubbling up inside with a (secret?) hate for Snape ever since he humiliated her during class. Bastard. I just want to say that Eloise had no part in this. Louise had taken over her - my - body. And mind. And soul.

So, the perfect opportunity was presented when poor, dear Ernie had invited her - me - to search his belongings for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

I snuck a glance towards Ernie. His mouth hung open. He was probably wondering what Snape and McGonagall were doing in his fuzzy pink handcuffs.

I was the mastermind behind this scheme of course. Did you expect Julien to come up with the idea? Nope. Julien assisted me in performing the necessary spells. Ya see, the first person who comes in physical contact with Snape almost immediately gets their clothes taken off as well as handcuffed to him. Oh... and they won't come off for a week... Day AND night. Yes, I'm evil - I know.

I had kinda been hoping that Malfoy would touch Snape first (I don't mean that in the inappropriate way).

Hmm... but the Yule Ball IS still steadily approaching. Maybe a Slytherin and a Gryffindor can work out their differences since that time last year that the Gryffindor team had hauled off the Slytherin team and practically mauled them in Quidditch. I sensed very high sexual tension, even between the teachers...

Snape and Mickey would definitely be a - erm - passionate couple... As a plus they hated each other's guts. SO the make-up stuff would be GREAT! (If they ever DID make up...)

They were already bickering in hushed tones. McGonagall took out her wand (Snape's wand hand was in the handcuff) and muttered a spell that made sparks flicker around her handcuff. But I had placed a Unbreakable Charm on the both of them. Ha! Julien and I had everything covered.

"HEADMASTER!" shrieked Mickey. "Can't you DO SOMETHING?!"

His eyes glimmered. "I would, but it seems that whoever pulled this prank thought of everything."

"There must be some way around their rules," Snape said coldly to McGonagall. He was going to be civil towards her - but not nice. Not nice at all.

"Of course," Mickey said sternly as she changed into a cat. The handcuff adjusted to fit around her paw. (Ha! We knew she'd try that one!) She changed back, more flustered then ever before. "We WILL find a loophole before tonight," she said to Snape, as if to keep him from getting any ideas...

**XvX**

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP. BEEEP. BEEEP. BEEEP. BEEEEP. BEEEEP. BEEEEP. BEEEEEP. BEEEEEP. BEEEEEP. BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

My alarm clock insistently beeped. Oh, you've already heard? "SHUT UP!" I yelled, throwing a spell book at it. It rolled onto the floor and continued beeping.

"Will you shut that awful thing up?" screeched a blonde Hufflepuff girl. I didn't quite remember her name. "Horrible Muggle contraption," she muttered under her breath.

Cranky blonde bitch.

I took my wand from my bedside table. "Accio alarm clock," I said. The clock jumped across the room to my fingertips. I grasped it and hit the off button.

I just lay there, waiting for my tired eyes to finally wake up.

After all the excitement last night, Moody and Dumbledore somehow seemed to quiet everyone down. I think that most of the first and second years were probably too scared of Moody to say a word, though. Though the older students were cockier, Dumbledore got them to pipe down.

The Prefects for each house lead the students back to their dormitories. Karkaroff's students shushed at his very glance, which I thought was a bit odd. The Beauxbatons students weren't so easily quieted by Madam Maxime. It took the efforts of both Hagrid and Madame Maxime to finally lead them back to their carriage. Julien grinned as he passed me and even Fleur gave me something resembling a smile.

He had TOLD her?! This was supposed to be something just between us. But guys would do anything for a beautiful lady.

I got dressed quickly and went down to get breakfast. It was unusually crowded. At this time in the morning teachers and students were rarely seen. But it was almost... crowded in here... Those people were probably waiting to see the show. Julien beckoned me to his table. I squeezed in between him and an Asian Ravenclaw with long black hair.

Julien smirked at me. "I can't believe it worked so well."

"I can," I said simply.

We were quiet. Just observing everything around us. Namely two very angry enemies...

Mickey and Snivellous were already there, neither of them wearing proper shirts. I hadn't thought of that. They wouldn't be able to get their arm through the sleeves of any shirt because the handcuffs prevented that. They didn't even have robes on! Thankfully Snape was wearing pants. That was a great improvement. Now I wouldn't have to try not to stare at his underpants as I ate. I watched as Colin Creevy snapped a quick photo of Snape and Mickey. Snape shot him a cold glare and Colin's head bobbed back through the crowd of students still arriving.

Poor Mickey was wearing her usual pants and - GET THIS - a tube top. YES, I'm serious. She must have had to pull it up her body, starting at the feet, wiggling it up to her chest. Though she looked completely uncomfortable, her head was held up high (her hair was in a tight bun that strained her scalp) and the arch of her neck was stiff and tensed. But still - I had to admire her pride.

If I had known before that I would have to look at Snape's scrawny bare chest for a week I would never have actually done the handcuffs prank. But he deserved it and I was willing to sacrifice my vision for the sake of this beloved school.

Hopefully SOMEHOW they will figure out how to get sleeves on. Maybe they could have their shirts stitched around them or something.

The weird thing was that nobody seemed to feel the urgent need to ask Snape and McGonagall about their sleeping arrangements. Sure, McGonagall's wand hand was free, and sure, you didn't want to mess with this woman - but REALLY! I would have thought that Fred and George would AT LEAST have said something! Maybe students here weren't as smart as I gave them credit for.

"We are so good!" said Julien, grinning to me.

"OH YEAH!" I slapped him a high five.

"You guys are so immature," said Hannah, but she smiled too. "I can't believe you guys actually DID that! If Snape finds out you'll get a lot more than twenty points taken from Hufflepuff."

"Finds out what?"

We turned.

It was only Dumbledore. "Terribly sorry, I couldn't help overhearing, Miss Abbott," he said, eyes soft pools of blue.

"Um, finds out that..."

Before we could think of an excuse, Dumbledore held one hand up. "Actually, I find that I'd rather not know the details, Miss Midgen. The more I do not know, the better. If no one tells me, no one can assume that I know, correct? Therefore, I already know and must not be told." He moved to take his seat.

"Did any of that make sense to either of you?" asked Julien.

"Nope," said Hannah. "Pass the toast!"

Julien handed her a slice of toast.

"House-elves really do know how to make good toast," Hannah said appreciatively.

"Uh, I guess," I replied, grabbing a scone and some cut strawberries from a platter to put onto my plate. I nibbled on the tip of my scone. Those strawberries were kind of heart-shaped. I guess you could say that they looked a little like little triangles, but they really looked like hearts. I stabbed one with my fork and popped it into my mouth, biting down on it and feeling the sweet juice fill my mouth. There was definitely sugar added to these strawberries.

"Hello!" said Justin brightly, plopping himself down next to Hannah. "Wow! That was certainly an eventful night!" He piled his plate high.

I looked at Hannah. Hannah looked at Justin. Justin looked at Julien. Julien looked at me.

Hannah, Julien, and I burst out laughing. "Why do I have a feeling that I've missed something?"

"You've got me there, mate," Ernie replied, seating himself across from Justin. "Can you pass me the syrup," he asked Hannah.

"Sure," she choked. She passed it to him, biting her lip to keep from laughing, I think.

"Thanks."

"I wonder who did that to Snape," Justin replied meaningfully, looking from me to Julien.

"Probably one of the Weasley twins," I heard Ernie said nonchalantly.

"No, they were just as surprised as the rest of us," said Julien.

I yawned and shrugged. "I wonder what classes will be like today. I have McGonagall first thing, then straight to Potions."

"Well I have Snape first and then Trelawney," said Hannah.

"But that would be impossible," said Ernie. "McGonagall would have to be in her classroom and Snape in his. And if Snape and McGonagall are sort of handcuffed together..."

"Not SORT OF handcuffed. They ARE handcuffed," put in Justin, glancing at me.

Ernie shrugged. "Same difference."

"Yeah, Ernie's right," Hannah said. "They can't be in two separate classrooms. They'll have to teach in one. Together."

"Well, it's not my problem," said Julien. I glared at him. "What? It isn't."

I yawned again. "Does that mean that I didn't have to study for the Potions exam?"

"I dunno. Maybe," said Ernie.

"Shoot," I groaned. "I tried to stay up all night studying." My eyes watered and I rubbed at them.

"I gotta get back to my table," said Julien.

"Uh. Don't go," I groaned, lightly slapping him on his arm.

"I have to," he replied lightly, teasingly. "But don't worry - I have a big surprise for you tomorrow night! You'll love me!"

"More than I already do?" I asked him blearily.

"Yep."

"Okay. Go. But I am NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!"

"Warning taken," he said, getting up to leave.

Once he was out of earshot I barely caught Hannah muttering something. "Huh?" I asked her.

"Nothing."

"No, really. WHAT?" I said, impatiently.

"Well. He seems kind of... lovesick," she whispered the last word, glancing anxiously at Ernie and Justin.

"Don't worry," said Justin. "We guys know when we aren't wanted. Lets go, Ern."

Hannah laughed and grabbed his hand, playfully swinging it. "You don't haavvve to..." she said.

"When the girls start talking about boys, it is our cue to leave," muttered Ernie.

"We'll see you later. We're just gonna go to the end of the table. Far, far away. Where you can't see us," Justin let go of Hannah's hand.

"And we can't see you," Ernie put in.

"And neither of us can hear each other," said Justin.

"So it doesn't matter that you are talking about guys."

"Though, always remember that I love you best." Justin smiled.

"And that he thinks of you right before he falls asleep." Ernie grinned.

"HEY! How do you know that!"

"You're predictable, mate."

They bickered like that as they slid past us, to the other side of the table.

"Aww," I said. "You two are so cute."

"WHAT?! I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING. YOU ARE TRYING TO DISTRACT ME. YOU HAVE NEVER SAID THE WORD 'CUTE' IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE! IT DOESN'T EXIST IN YOUR VOCABULARY," roared Hannah. "But yes, we are a cute couple." She smiled.

"HE LOOOOVES YOU. HE'S IN LOOOOVE!"

Hannah slapped my arm. I laughed stupidly, praying that she would forget about...

"Don't change the subject."

Shoot.

"Julien seems to really like you, Eloise."

I shrugged. "We're friends."

"You're MORE than that."

"You can't know that," I said. I wasn't going to get my hopes up. "Even if he miraculously likes me, he's going to leave anyway. I don't think that he does, though." Hannah started to protest, but I cut her off. "I'm Eloise Midgen," I said. "The girl who had to have her nose reattached after trying to curse off her pimples."

"Eloise-"

"I'm serious. I just don't want to get hurt. I'm never going to get a date to that stupid ball anyway."

"El-"

"STOP INTERRUPTING!" I yelled at her.

She looked at me calmly. "Eloise. Your acne is gone."

**If you have been reading this, but not reviewing, this is your time to review!**

**-R**


	12. Chapter 12

**DISCLAIMER: Do I really need to say anything? **

**Since I got so many reviews, thanks to IH8Abbreviations, (because she wrote about my story in her story. Check it out, by the way. It's Why Not to Annoy the Twilight Characters) I decided that I would continue with this story instead of revising already. This is a short chappie, but thanks to all you reviewers it actually exists. **

**And you had better be really grateful for this chappy because I have a French exam tomorrow and two essays due as well as a project. AHHH!**

**-R**

Chapter 12

_"Eloise-"_

_"I'm serious. I just don't want to get hurt. I'm never going to get a date to that stupid ball anyway."_

_"El-"_

_"STOP INTERRUPTING!" I yelled at her._

_She looked at me calmly. "Eloise. Your acne is gone." _

"What?" I looked at her in disbelief. Is this some kind of way that she was trying to get my attention? How could Hannah be this mean to me? It was awful enough to tell me I have acne to my pimply face, but to deny that I have acne at all... I really thought she was a good friend. One that wouldn't always call attention to my appearance whenever I didn't want it (always). But when I looked into her eyes and saw her looking back sympathetically, I knew. I didn't need a mirror to prove it.

People were staring at me. How could I not have noticed before? Yes, sometimes people stare at Eloise Midgen, the pimply freak. But even THIS was over the top. I attracted glances wherever I turned and suddenly I felt confidence fitting itself against my body, like a second skin.

Hannah took out a mirror and handed it to me. I looked at her, sitting there, smiling reassuringly. Then I closed my eyes and decided to focus my full attention on the mirror now. I opened them.

An oval face was staring back at me. Her intense gray eyes under level brows peered at me, scrutinizing me. Her hair, a frizzy chocolate-brown mess tumbled down her shoulders untidily. Her skin was unblemished, but a little pale. Light lavender-purple half-moons of dark shadows were under her eyes - evidence of an attempt at an all-nighter. She looked a little peaky, thinner than I was accustomed to seeing her. It wasn't a pleasant, natural slenderness. It was more of a weary, half-starved scrawniness. I guess I did look different. Eloise Midgen had been slightly plump, her face a big pimple, gray eyes too sharp. What was left of her was different.

I think I looked prettier before.


	13. Chapter 13

**I got a 75 percent on my French exam. Scholarlydimwit, however got a 96 percent. She's in Gifted and WAYY smart. SO, the very UN-GIFTED moi got a sucky grade while elle got an awesome one. S, HOW IS THIS FAIR?!**

**DISCLAIMER: I'm not JK Rowling. I'm JK Rowling's daughter…incognito… APRIL FOOLS. Although, it is technically May… Ooh, I'm volunteering at this May fair with two friends. It's gonna be awesome. **

**Oh and just so you know, I finally installed Microsoft 2007 on my laptop. But I hate Microsoft Word 2007. AGH. **

**And I have to buy a dress. My friend's birthday is coming up and it's formal, but not TOO formal, so I can wear a spring dress. The only problem is that I only own two dresses. One is a gothic-looking one which has pink fabric underneath of cobweb-lace type of see-through black fabric. The other one is a black-and-white halter-dress. Neither of them are the "formal/springy" type…**

**Hm. Would you consider this story a dramady? Or is it just a romantic comedy…? OR is it a comedy? Let me know what you think. **

**-R**

Chapter 13 (My widdle story is a teenager! Cue the song 'Teenagers' by MCR.)

I lay there, back flat on top of my bed. Everything seemed gone. No color, no light. My black sheets were invisible. I could hear the rustle of it as I shifted and feel the smooth, warm fabric. But I couldn't see it. The canary-yellow hangings that surrounded me were dark gray. The sides seemed to be pushing in closer around me. The air around me pulsed, seemingly warm with life, but not comfortingly, soothingly. In the pit of my stomach there was a strange hollow emptiness that was swallowing everything neighboring it.

"Eloise?" said a distant voice.

My curtains were almost ripped open, revealing a very anxious Hannah Abbott. Her face was frowning, eyes worried and wet.

"Eloise…? Are you sleeping?"

Cool air washed out all former anxiety. I was refreshed, but still tired. "No," I said, trying not to sigh.

"Okay…"

"What's wrong, Hannah?"

"Ernie asked me to the Yule Ball," a forlorn, pained expression possessed her face.

"What?! Did you tell him about Justin?" I demanded. Her face answered for her. "Merlin, Hannah!"

"Well, I didn't know what to say!" she defended herself. "He and Justin were – are – friends, so I just thought that he would have told Ernie."

"What did you say to him?" I tried to sound calm, reasonable.

"I said…" Her voice faltered slightly. She squinted her eyes shut, and then opened them. "I said maybe." She saw my expression. "Well, I couldn't have just said NO, could I?"

"Hannah, you have already agreed to go with someone else. All you had to do was explain that."

"So, I could've told him?"

"Duh. Now go and let me get some sleep."

"Yeah, you'll need your rest for the big day tomorrow," Hannah grinned evilly.

"What do you mean?"

"Julien's surprise – of course!"

"If you prolong my dream world I may just turn you into a waterbed and have Snape and Mickey test you out. THEN you would see what it's like not be able to get to sleep."

"McGonagall's always said that your transfiguration skills aren't up to fourth-year level," Hannah replied prissily.

"Well then, I may just have to turn you into a very misshapen pincushion and sell you at a Muggle store."

Hannah sighed and stuck her tongue out at me. "You know, my love life sucks."

"Well, at least yours exists."

"YOURS has existed since the day you met Julien," she teased.

"OUT!" I yelled.

"Fine."

I yanked the curtains back around my bed, but instantly wished I hadn't. This would be a long night.

**XVX**

Today was a double Potions day. THIS would be interesting…

I passed Seamus and Dean in the hall. Seamus was shaking his head slowly, hands covering his face. "How come pirates can get away with saying 'Yo ho' and I can't?"

"Maybe it's because you're not a pirate."

"But pirates are awesome! EVERYONE loves them!" argued Seamus.

"Maybe you shouldn't have screamed it at her that loudly. She isn't a wench," Dean replied bluntly.

"How can girls be this hard to understand?"

"You got me there, mate."

I walked into the classroom, laughing softly to myself.

I was hoping that Mickey and Snape would be in the Transfiguration classroom instead… but no. They weren't.

Somehow Snape and Mickey actually had shirts on. As in actual SHIRTS. Whoa. That was an improvement. They kind of looked like the sleeves had been roughly sewn around their arms by someone.

Snape was as angry as ever. McGonagall seemed to be enjoying this just as much. She had managed to turn the handcuffs a very ugly puce color. Too bad. The vibrant shade of pink always lit up my day as I walked into the Great Hall.

McGonagall had to charm the board in front of the class to write the directions for Snape.

Snape started to explain, but McGonagall snapped at us. "Just do the work."

Fifteen minutes in my potion smelled like what I imagined that the boys' dormitory smelled like. Disgusting.

"Hey, can someone get me some deadly nightshade roots?" Hannah called.

Justin rushed for the supply cabinet only a second after Ernie had already took off. Ernie grabbed the deadly nightshade roots and started to rush back towards Hannah, when Justin ripped some of the nightshade out of his hands.

Ernie jogged back to where Hannah stood, slightly pink, and handed her the deadly nightshade roots that had been enclosed in his hand.

"Macmillan. Don't pulverize those roots," sneered Snape. "Ten points from Hufflepuff. They are utterly useless."

"I'm sure they can be salvaged," snapped Mickey. "We don't want to waste them!"

Justin walked back to Hannah, his nightshade not as crushed as Ernie's had been. "Here," he said gruffly.

"Thanks," she said, looking up into his face. He smiled, but when he turned to Ernie his face transformed into a scowl.

Ernie was looking back with the exact same expression.


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAMER: I wonder if JKR gorges on ice cream. I do. **

**My sister is going to TWO proms. Her boyfriend (they've been together 3 years) is from a different HS. So she gets to go to her HS's prom and his HS's prom. And the post prom parties. How can she be that lucky? One of those proms is tonight. **

**I just want to say that Wahunsonacock was a real Native American. No joke. No wonder he was called Powhatan instead. **

Chapter 14

"The Amazon Witches are still remembered for their charms involving horses. An old tale that I believe is still told today is of how the first Amazon Witch controlled a wild stallion.

"Amazon Witches were feared by many great warlocks. Their terrifying beauty astounded and ensnared most men.

"Wahunsonacock was a Native American high priest. His views toward women mirrored their views toward men," Binns droned. His glassy-eyed students stared at him. "He was said to have had a hundred wives."

"Whoa," said Seamus. "He must've had a big one."

Everyone snapped awake.

"Bigger than those pirates you adore so much probably had," said Dean, grinning.

"You know, there's a reason why you two don't have dates," hissed Hermione.

Binns took no notice of them. "These ideas are false. Muggles worldwide seem to think he had a hundred. In fact, he only had six."

"Why only six?" piped up Neville.

"He was a seventh son. He knew that someday he would eventually die, but he didn't want to be overshadowed by his son. Seventh sons of seventh sons are always amazingly gifted," continued Binns, his face sapped of all emotion.

"He had seven territories, taken over from other tribes. He would gift each of his sons with one. And keep one for himself.

"He planned on having six children, but his sixth wife bore twins. He hadn't been there to see who was born first, so he strangled them both in their sleep.

"His sixth wife found this out and tried to drown him. He survived due to the Bubble Head Charm. He was among the first to discover that particular charm."

"How pleasant," Ernie whispered to Hannah. She smiled nervously.

Justin slipped his arm around Hannah's shoulders possessively, claiming her as his.

"However, he died two days later from poisoning."

This class was SUPPOSED to be Transfiguration. Except Binns was substituting. I stifled a yawn, but then shot a quick glance toward Hannah.

She sat there between Ernie and Justin uncomfortably, her face probably flushed. She shifted slightly and looked behind her shoulder to look at me. She let a pained expression slip over her delicate features. "HELP ME," she mouthed.

I covered my eyes with my hands, then mouthed back, "I CAN'T."

"PLEASE?"

I sighed. "FINE."

I stood up. "Excuse me, sir. You say that this Wahunsona_cock_ ," I emphasized the _cock,_ gaining a few sniggers, "wanted to have six kids."

"Yes," Binns replied.

"Well why did Wahunsona_cock_ want to have kids, anyway?"

Hannah now owed me big time.

XVX

"Hey," said Hannah to me after class. "Thanks for distracting the boys."

"Yeah, whatever," I replied, slinging my bag of books over my back.

"Oh, and Julien told me to tell you to meet him at midnight at the Astronomy Tower."

Some friend.

XVX

Two hours until I would go to the Astronomy Tower. Two hours between me and whatever Julien wanted to say to me.

I was attempting to slip in an hour of sleep, but Louise was pestering me.

_I WONDER WHAT HE'S GOING TO SAY TO US._

Maybe he's caught on to the fact that I like him.

_MERLIN! YOU JUST SAID THE L-WORD!_

As a friend.

_Well, I like him as MORE than a friend. Can I have him?_

No, Louise.

_You're no fun._

Yep.

Hannah burst into the girls' dormitory. She was simmering inside with a strange rage that I've never seen her in. But it looked like she was about to boil over soon. Her whole face was splashed with red, snot bubbling dangerously from her nose. Her eyelashes all stuck together in clumps with the tears that had flowed freely from her pink eyes. Streaks of black ran down her face from her eyes.

"Um, Hannah-"

"This damn mascara was supposed to be waterproof!"

"It is waterproof. It's just not tear-proof," I mumbled as she collapsed on her bed. "What happened?" I put my arms around her, pulling her into a gentle hug.

"I told Ernie," her voice was low.

"And?"

"He KNEW."

"What? What did he know?" I hugged her tighter.

"Ahh! I'm getting black mascara all over your shirt!" I released her and grabbed a box of tissues from her dresser.

"It's fine. I'll put on a new one later. Just tell me what Ernie said."

She blew her nose and wiped at her face. She sighed. "He knew that Justin asked me out. And he knew I said yes."

"That bastard!" I growled.

What the hell was his freaking problem?! He had to bother poor Hannah when he knew that his best friend asked her out.

"Did he ask you out again?"

"Yeah. He tried to get me to go with him."

"And you said no," I smiled confidently. Hannah wouldn't go out with him. I would so tell her about those handcuffs being Ernie's.

"I said yes."

"WHAT THE HELL?! Hannah – why?! Did he threaten you or something? That freaking bastard!"

"He-" she choked out. "He told me that…"

"He used some sort of blackmail to get you to go with him."

"NO! He – he told me that he loved me."

Hot tears of frustration gathered in my eyes. I blinked really fast, trying to push them away. "And you BELIEVE that?"

"Eloise, I just DON'T KNOW!"

**NEXT TIME ON ELOISE MIDGEN AND THE YULE BALL: EVERYONE HAS SECRETS. WILL ONE OF THEM FINALLY BE REVEALED WHEN ELOISE GOES UP TO THE ASTRONOMY TOWER? AND WHAT ABOUT HANNAH AND JUSTIN?**

**Yeah. It isn't the greatest chapter. Sorry.**

**-R**


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: JKR writes children's books. Me? Nah. YA all the way!**

**My sister had an "okay" time at the prom. And an "okay" time at the post prom. Yep. She didn't really elaborate past that. But at least she brought me food! **

**Well, while she was at the prom I was watching Sweeny Todd. While she was at the post prom I was reading The Host by Stephenie Meyer. It took me a while to get into the story, but once you got about a quarter of the way in the story really hooked you. It made me cry. But a lot of books make me cry. What can I say? I'm really weak when it comes to books. I cried when I wrote the end of Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball. I was so frustrated and angry at one of the characters. **

**Oh, and just so you know, near the end of Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball Eloise starts saying "fuck" a lot. Now is your time to say "OHHH, so THAT'S why this is rated T!"**

**A lot of the characters in this fanfic are really OOC. Except for Hannah. Ernie probably never even saw a pair of handcuffs in his life and Justin just isn't as pompous as I envision him while I read the HP series. Eloise is completely different than she is in the series. COMPLETELY. **

**I probably won't post another chapter until Wednesday. Sorry about that. I have a test on Monday, a quiz and a project on Tuesday. I just might get around to writing today, though. After I post a chapter I usually write. **

**This chapter may just be my favorite one. **

**-R**

Chapter 15

Hannah and I went to sit by the window. I had opened it and our bare feet dangled out. Cool air was a whisper against my skin, sending shivers wracking up my body. We stared out there for a long time. The occasional aching, tormented sob broke free from Hannah's throat every so often. I didn't say much. I just waited for it to pass.

Looking out the window I wondered how I could worry about trivial things like whether Julien likes me. The dark sky seemed to engulf me. Stars are so pretty tonight.

_They are pretty every night._

You know, Louise – I think you're right.

I wondered if the stars were always so clear. Maybe it was just this beautiful when looking down at Hogwarts. I think that they are secretly shining inside to break loose – to be free. Somehow each star is so similar to the next. They are all vying for attention. To be the one that stands out. How can they know that by trying to stand out they are just like all the others?

**XVX**

"Eloise?" Hannah whispered to me.

"Yeah?"

"It's past midnight, I think."

"Oh, it's really late. We'll go to bed in about half an hour, kay?"

"No, Ellie," she said softly. "You're late."

I swallowed. "Late for what?"

"Julien said he'd meet you at midnight at the Astronomy Tower."

"Crap! Why didn't you warn me sooner?" I got up and hastily pulled on a heavy woolen cloak over my pajamas.

"I just lost track of time," she said absent-mindedly, gazing out the window.

"Merlin! You're going to catch a cold if you keep sitting there like that!" I grabbed a warm black blanket and slipped it around her shoulders. It drooped to the floor. She hadn't clutched it around herself.

Hannah's tears had dried, but she shook violently from the cold. I kneeled beside her and pulled her limp, frozen feet into our dormitory. She shuddered again as I closed the window. "Shit. It's freezing in here," I murmured to myself.

I dragged her down the stairs and seated her on one of the couches nearest to the fire. Her lips were a mottled purple color and her delicate body shook. "Go," she whispered. "Go, you'll be late."

"I can't leave you here like this – you'll die!"

"I'm a witch," she smiled faintly. "I'll be fine."

"I'm gonna get someone to take care of you, okay?"

"Not Ernie," she mumbled, rocking back and forth.

"Okay," I said reassuringly. "Not Ernie."

I bolted up the boys' staircase and slid into the fourth years' room. I quietly padded to Justin's bed. I felt stupid as I shook him as gently as I could awake. "Huh?" he mumbled drowsily. "Wha-" I shushed him and pulled him up, trotting down the stairs. He followed me.

I led him to where Hannah sat shaking. "What's wrong with her?" he said loudly, urgently. "Eloise! What's wrong with Hannah?!"

"I don't really know. She might have a cold or something. Do you mind taking care of her? Bring her to Madam Pomfrey if you have to."

I half expected him to grumble, "Why can't you do it?" but he just nodded.

"Thanks, I owe you," I said.

"No you don't. Its fine," he said, wrapping his arms around Hannah and the blanket. He rubbed her shoulders, trying to warm her up.

I checked the clock. It was one in the morning. Shoot. There was little or no chance that Julien had stayed up there that long. I would go anyway.

**XVX**

The moon shone pale in the sky. Julien was there, clutching his robes around him. He was hunched over, his face turned away from me.

"Julien?" I whispered tentatively. He didn't turn or straighten up. "Julien," I said more clearly.

He turned toward me, green eyes dark with hurt.

"I'msoooosorry!" I moaned.

"Ireallydidn'tmeantobelatebutHannahgotkindasickandIhadtostaywithheranditwascoldandIwasreallyconfusedandtiredandIdidn'trealizethattimewentbysoquickly."

His face broke into a grin. "I didn't hear a word you said."

My face was probably as red as a tomato right now.

"Hey, it's fine. I forgot about this thing too. I only just remembered ten minutes ago." He smiled.

Oh. He forgot about me.

"Erm. So what's your surprise?"

He grinned. "Well I had this crazy idea rolling around in my head since I first saw you. And don't you dare laugh at me," he said sternly.

I liked the way this was turning out…

"Well it's a really crazy idea… So I don't know if you'll say okay…"

It started to rain, washing away the tiredness from my eyes. I smiled as drops of water splashed onto my head. The clouds gurgled happily as it quenched the trembling earth's thirst. A tiny sliver of the moon still there, blindingly white compared to the clouds. I listened to the rain sighed as it kissed the soft ground. I sighed with each raindrop.

"Hey, Louise? Are you still listening?" Julien said anxiously.

"Mm hm."

"Okay, well my idea is that we get you a date for the Yule Ball," he smiled triumphantly at me.

What?

"Well, I kinda want to test something out. I can make you gorgeous. Soon every guy at this school will want to be with you."

Was I some kind of EXPERIMENT to him? That was all I was. Just some ugly girl who could be like some lab rat?

My eyes overfilled with tears and those tears mingled with the rain that slid down my face. I don't think Julien noticed. But I wanted him to notice.

"Fleur thought it was a good idea too," he continued.

Fleur.

Fleur.

Fleur.

Fleur.

Fleur.

Fleur.

Fleur.

"We just need your permission and we'll start as soon as we can."

This was just business to Julien.

Never mix business and pleasure.

Bastard.

"Louise?"

I tried to wipe away the tears on my face.

"Louise? Are you _crying_?"

"No, you bastard. I'm laughing," I couldn't keep the harsh edge out of my voice.

"Eloise…?" He tried to reach out to me, but I knocked his hand away and ran.

The stars were too weak to shine through those rainclouds.


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: I OWN YOU, JULIEN. I CAN KILL YOU OFF IF I WANT…**

**My characters couldn't be denied their story… So I wrote. And wrote. And finished chapter 16. You won't hear from me until Wednesday. I think. **

**This chapter was both hard and easy to write. At the end I had this really strange impulse to write this one last sentence… So I did.**

**-R**

Chapter 16

I returned to our common room completely soaked. Hannah was there. And Justin. They were both looking happily into the other's eyes. I managed a weak smile and stayed where I was. They hadn't noticed me arriving and I definitely didn't want to ruin their moment. Unless they started snogging. When the snogging starts I go upstairs to bed and try to picture Snape in his knickers to try to burn out the other, worse, image.

Hannah's smile wavered and slid off her face. "Justin…" she began tentatively. "I have something to tell you."

He immediately noticed the quivering tone of her voice. "What is it?"

She hesitated. "I_ really _ don't want you to be mad at him. It's completely _my_ fault. I shouldn't have said yes."

He turned his eyes away from her face. "It's Ernie isn't it?" His voice was soft and controlled. Only in his body language was it revealed that he was anything but calm. His eyes turned back to her and they were blazing with something I couldn't quite name. It was anger and hurt and betrayal and sorrow and loneliness all mixed together. When she didn't answer he said, "Your mind is so susceptible." He smiled without happiness.

"I don't change my mind_ that_ often," she defended herself.

"I know," his voice softened, showing a degree of love that was fascinating.

"I really didn't want to hurt you," Hannah mumbled.

"You did," his voice was harder. "But it isn't your fault. It's Ernie's."

"He told me he loved me."

"Whatever he says is usually specious. I don't blame you for believing him." Hannah sighed in relief. "I blame you for going along with it."

"Justin. I can't go to the ball with you." Hannah's voice was anguished.

I just stood there in horror. I couldn't DO anything. I was there, but frozen. I willed my legs to carry me to Hannah to comfort her but I just couldn't. I needed to stop this.

Justin looked at her. His body was stiff as he stood. "Okay," he said, then walked past her, not looking back.

"Hannah," I squeaked, hurling myself at her. "It's all my fault. I should have just stayed here with you and-"

"Its fine," her voice was shaky, but her eyes locked firmly with mine.

"I can't believe I was such an idiot," I whispered.

"At least you got to see Julien," her voice was only a little brighter.

I gritted my teeth. "Yeah, at least I got to see Julien."

"So what was his surprise?"

"He-"

"I bet it was something great," she said, trying to smile.

I cleared my throat. "Erm. Actually we didn't get to talk much because Filch nearly caught us."

"Oh."

"Yeah – um – Mrs. Norris found us up there and we heard Filch's voice and we ran for it."

"Oh. I guess he'll tell you tomorrow." I felt bad for my friend. She was hopeful for me. She didn't know that her hoping was useless.

**XVX**

The next morning Ernie was all over Hannah. He kept shooting triumphant glances toward Justin, but Justin didn't look.

Louise and I were subdued to extreme extents. In fact, I didn't hear a word from Louise all day. Louise was the part of me that longed for Julien. I guess she'd died when Julien died in my eyes. The only thing that cheered me up was that no one seemed to notice that I was anything but cheery. I was glad that I was able to fool everyone with a cheery exterior.

"Miss Midgen," a light voice said from behind me. "Is something troubling you?" I turned. Dumbledore stood there, ancient and understanding. His blue eyes were gently probing my own.

"Sort of, professor," I replied.

"Good. That means you are still alive." I stared at him. "The other day I was helping the house –elves down in the kitchen cut a turkey. I cut myself – by accident of course. It hurt a lot. After the pain went away I realized that my finger felt better than it had before I had cut it."

"That doesn't make any sense, sir."

He smiled down his crooked nose at me. Then he walked away, robes swishing around his ankles.

**XVX**

"Hannah, why can't you just say no to Ernie?" We were having dinner in the Great Hall. Ernie was late and Justin was apparently "not hungry."

"I just can't," she moaned. "I don't want to do the same thing that I did to Justin to Ernie, too!"

"But he practically tricked you into going with him!"

"I can't," she moaned again.

"Hey, Eloise… Can I talk to you…?" It was Julien.

"OMIGOSH, Julien!" squealed Hannah happily. "You won't believe what horrible things happened last night!"

"You haven't told her," Julien stated grimly.

"Told me what?" Hannah was immediately sobered. She turned to me, a question in her eyes.

"I just need to steal Eloise for a minute," he said quickly. "It's really urgent."

Hannah's eyes were mistrustful. And they were still turned toward me. "What haven't you told me, Eloise?"

"That isn't important now," growled Julien. "I. Need. To. Talk. To. Eloise." She turned her gaze to him. "NOW."

She was going to give in. I could see the indecision in her eyes, but knew what would be her final answer. She smiled at Julien.

"NO," she said coldly, her face twisted in an ugly sneer.

I sighed in relief. "Thank you," I said to her.

She stood and pulled me up with her. Her hand was tight around my wrist and she dragged me out of the Great Hall and into a nearby broom closet.

"Now, what was it that really happened last night?"

"Technically it happened this morning," I tried to smile.

"Not the point," she grumbled. "What happened?"

"He thought it would be fun to play extreme makeover," I said bitterly, in a low voice.

"What does that mean?"

"I was basically just his plaything that he wanted to experiment on. His goal was to make me so beautiful that I would actually be able to get a date."

"Oh, no!"

"And worse – Fleur was in on it."

"Ew! That awful girl?!" she gasped. "She's part veela but all beautiful."

Part veela? Shit. That girl probably used her veela powers - or whatever it was that they had - to convince Julien.

"Shoot."

"You know, Ellie… There could be a different explanation. Maybe he thought he was doing you a favor," her voice was hopeful.

"Sure, take his side."

"Eloise… you know I'm-"

"What makes him think that I even want to be different?! I could be completely happy with my appearance. Not all of us have pulchritude, but I'm okay with that!"

"Yeah, I know you are," she said soothingly, "but maybe Julien didn't know that. Maybe he was just trying to help."

"SUUURE, try to help the ugly Eloise Midgen because SHE needs it so badly!"

"Ellie…. You know he didn't mean it like that!"

"No, _you're _ the one who meant it like that!" My voice was high and hysterical. "Yeah! PITY ELOISE MIDGEN! Go ahead!"

Someone opened the broom closet door. The light from outside blinded me. I felt a warm hand pull me out.

I blinked. It was Justin.

He took me back to the Hufflepuff common room. He didn't say anything. He just stared at me for a while.

"Eloise… Would you go to the ball with me?"


	17. Chapter 17

**DISCLAIMER: I wonder if JKR has ever been truly hyper… S has!**

_**RadicalReason: why do u have 2 say sorry... FOR THAT?** _

**scholarlydimwit: so i'm only supposed to say sorry if i murder someone **

**scholarlydimwit: ?**

_**RadicalReason: well…** _

_**RadicalReason: it depends who it is...** _

**scholarlydimwit: oh, yes if it's someone you don't like, go ahead and murder them**

**scholarlydimwit: don't bother feeling remorse**

**scholarlydimwit: bc they were annoying anyway **

_**RadicalReason: exactly!** _

_**RadicalReason: I know we dont agree on a lot... but on this subject... we're like siamese** _ ** twins!**

**scholarlydimwit: of COURSE we agreeeee what don't we agree about?**

_**RadicalReason: u being hyper ** _

**HAHA! Just to make it publicly known... scholarlydimwit is HYPER!**

**My dear readers, sometimes I feel like you guys are feeding my Ego (yes, my ego is so big that the first letter must be capitalized to ensure full effect) with lies. :'( I don't care if you criticize my stories. Really. I MUST KNOW what I can do to make this story more fun and enjoyable.**

**Hope you like chappie 17. We're getting close to the end now. I'm sorry about this chappie being majorly short. I have a quiz tomorrow and a test on Friday and a project due Friday and some facts due Friday and a book due Friday. And I'm sick with allergies. I'm serious. During fifth period my Benadryl wore off and I had this huge glob of phlegm stuck in the back of my throat and I couldn't breathe… Ugh. It was awful. **

**I LOVE YOU ALL MY DEAR REVIEWERS!**

**-R**

Chapter 17

"Justin," I smiled. "Would you REALLY go to the ball with me?"

"Yeah," he replied uncomfortably.

"Then you're stupid."

He stared at me blankly.

"Justin, you're a really nice guy."

"But…?"

"But you're a really nice guy!"

"I think you've already established that fact," he said stiffly. "What's wrong with being nice?"

"Nothing, but you love Hannah."

He started to protest but I went on.

"You shouldn't give up on a person just because they made a mistake," I said quietly.

"Like Julien," he said, a small smile flickering across his face. "You don't think I'm dumb as well as nice, do you? You don't have to be very observant to notice what happened in the Great Hall just now. You were practically shouting. Broom closets aren't always the best place to hold secret conversations."

"I'll keep that in mind," I said. But I would never forgive Julien.

Justin seemed to read my mind. "YOU said that I shouldn't give up on a person just because they've made a mistake. In your mind Julien is the one making the mistake. But it's actually you. YOU'RE the idiot, Eloise Midgen."

"So what you're saying is that I should have kept on being his friend even though he wanted to turn me into something I'm not. HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I WANT." I emphasized this last sentence as much as possible, wishing that Justin would just go away.

"You want to be loved," he said firmly. "Isn't that what everyone in the world wants?"

"No," I snapped, "I'm not the kind of girl who is like a princess waiting around for her knight to finally defeat the dragon."

"You're right about one thing. You're the kind of girl who is the princess fighting the dragon right beside her knight."

Eh, that didn't SEEM too bad. But why'd I have to be a princess anyway?

"So you're saying I should save Julien," I said sarcastically, "From what?"

"I actually don't know. I just liked the metaphor."

"Ya know, Justin… I think you're more of a romantic than you let on."

He blushed.

"Now go get your princess back from that dragon."

He saluted me. "Will do."

**XVX**

I felt bad for Justin.

Ernie's arm was wrapped possessively around the back of Hannah's chair during Potions. And Herbology. And Transfiguration. It was obvious that he was claiming her as his own, but did he REALLY have to permanently mark her with his scent, too?

Hannah just sat there, not looking back to see Justin staring unhappily at the back of Hannah's chair. She mostly fidgeted. She scratched her nose, wiggled her shoulders uncomfortably at Ernie's touch, and perched on the edge of her seat anxiously. She probably thought she was being strong, but all she was doing was forcing everyone else to go through it. Did she think that Justin wanted to just sit there? He wanted to act. And I didn't like seeing my best friend weak and vulnerable.

And the Yule Ball was closer than ever. Of course it was closer than ever. Every second it was closer than it had ever been that one second before. The days were numbered. I had it marked on my calendar. 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1 day left. Yep. Oh, and on the day to the right of the day marked '1' I had a little stick figure that was hung by the neck, little feet wriggling wildly. Then motionless.

Of course, I really am not going to kill myself. I don't even know how to put enough power behind the Killing Curse to kill a dried flower. Maybe I should just turn myself in to Mickey and Snape. Though they are now handcuff-free they are still raging inside, not so quietly.

**XVX**

"Hey Louise!" a voice yelled. Louise was dead.

"Hey! Wait up!"

I walked.

Proud of me? I WALKED. Amazing, right? Hellooo?

"LOUISE!" he bellowed.

I kept walking. Some people in the crowd looked at me weird. I pushed through them.

"ELOISE!"

"Yes?" I said coolly. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to say sorry," Julien panted, latching onto my shoulder for support.

"For what?"

"For being an arse."

"When were you an arse?" I kept my tone light.

"When I…" he hesitated, "...Up at the Astronomy Tower."

"No, you weren't."

"I wasn't what?"

"An arse."

"Oh," he looked a little relieved. Some sweat beaded his forehead. "You forgive me for that, then?"

"No, you arse."

"I thought you said I wasn't an arse," he looked confused. His weight was heavy on my shoulder and his palms were sweaty.

"You are now," I said, words barely recognizable coming from through my clenched teeth."

"What did I do?"

"Get. Off. My. Shoulder. Now."

He immediately pulled his hands away from my shoulders. "Sorry," he mumbled, "So… So, do you forgive me now?" he asked anxiously.

"No."

**XVX**

Justin took one look at my miserable face when I entered the common room. "You're an idiot," he informed me.


	18. Chapter 18

**I know I haven't updated in forever. I'm sorry!**

**Yesterday I was about to update, but the website wouldn't let me log on. And I had a project due which I had completely forgotten about as well as two quizzes. **

**TheNightimeSky, here is your virtual banana! Thanks for reading and reviewing!**

**DISCLAIMER: The Harry Potter series was written by someone who I'm not. **

**-R**

_**HANNAH'S POV** _

I won't forgive you.

_That crumpled note came to me during breakfast. The tawny barn owl swept down to the table, scattering feathers and droppings everywhere. I think I know who it came from, too. Eloise. _

_But what do you do when you disappoint your best friend and hurt your boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend)? Had he ever been my boyfriend? All he did was ask me to the Yule Ball. And now I had no right whatsoever to call him my boyfriend. _

_Those words on that scrap bit of parchment were probably well thought over. Simple, but powerful. And even the simplest words could sting. _

_I know that they thought I was weak. I can't help it. Ernie may not be the best guy, but he's still not that bad. _

_My mother used to laugh when I went with her to the Muggle bakery in town. I would stand there on my tiptoes for at least half an hour. Agitated customers would push past me and I had to press myself harder against the cold glass that separated me and the pastries. I would change my mind every few minutes and finally my mother would say, her eyes filled with a soft shine, "How about we get a little of each?" _

_I doubt that this current situation could be resolved that same way. _

_I try not to look at Justin. Will he be looking back at me or looking away? I try to do even the smallest things to distract me. Books do nothing. Work keeps me busy, but my mind always seems to wander while I read the questions. I once even went to the kitchens to help the house-elves. I did the dishes (to their dismay) the Muggle way, but that kept my mind entirely free, just kept my hands busy. _

_I can't eat. Whenever I look to see Justin and Eloise sitting down next to each other on the other end of our table, my mouth turns dry and in my chest there is a weird hollow feeling that I know can't be filled. Was I feeling a spark of jealousy or a twinge of regret? I couldn't help noticing that they were smiling at each other. But I also noticed that their eyes were sad and their smiles were wavering slightly. I take a tentative bite of toast. But it feels crumbly and harsh against my tongue. _

_Ernie comes and sits beside me, shoveling scrambled eggs into his gob, barely chewing. He was starting to annoy me. Of course, I just couldn't choose another pastry. I wanted to be really decided for once in my life, not feel like I was too choosy and confused when it came to what I wanted. _

_Justin gets up, dropping his bitten croissant onto his plate, and hurries out of the Great Hall. Eloise quickly follows after him. She's worried. _

_Where are they going? Would Ernie notice if in a few minutes I suddenly have a stomachache and have to go to Madam Pomfrey? Would I go back to the common room? Would I see Justin and Hannah? Would I make up with Justin? Would HE make up with Me?_

_No._

"_I'll be right back," I muttered to Ernie, not staying to hear his answer._

_I walked across, meaningfully sending a glare at my subject._

"_Hey," I said. "Are you an idiot or not?" His bright green eyes met my steely gaze unflinchingly. _

"_Not. Do you believe me?" He asked this with curiosity, not urgency. _

"_No." Idiot. Did he CARE? "Do you care for Eloise?" _

_I felt a surge of annoyance at his calm aura. I clenched my fists hard together, biting my cheek. Red is not the color of anger. Black is. I was surrounded by black. I wanted to part that black shroud and strike him, give in._

"_Not in THAT way. I like her. As a friend." He had a fucking smile on his face. How the bloody hell could he even say those words with a SMILE? _

"_Did you EVER lead her on?" If he did I would probably end up kicking his arse so hard that he wouldn't be able to make another facial expression ever again. What his arse has to do with his face I have no idea… DAMN PRETTY-BOY._

"_NO." He was calm, but his eyes flamed, "At least, I don't THINK I did."_

"_Well fuck you," I said in my cheeriest, most sarcastic tone and slapped him as hard as I could across his pretty-boy face. His head swayed slightly and he looked at me with unfocused eyes through all of the shock that clouded his vision. I slapped him again, harsher and angrier, putting force behind it. He fucking played Eloise like the bastard he was. _

_I was pretty sure that everyone had heard that slap echoing. All eyes were turned toward me. Dumbledore was the only professor there at the time. He surveyed me over his clasped fingers. He looked sad and weary, face etched deeply with the lines of time. He was weathering like the earth._

_The Hufflepuffs looked just as sad as him. The Ravenclaws kept their eyes mostly down. Slytherins watched me, confusion in their eyes. Gryffindors were just frozen in shock._

_I returned to my table and my toast. Julien wasn't good enough for me to pay any more attention to. I sat down next to Ernie and stared at the toast on my plate, ignoring his curious stares._

_It was a thick piece of toast, a light reddish-brown color near the center, yellowish from the butter on the untoasted edges. A corner of the toast was distinctly burnt a dark brown color. I rubbed my thumb over it, watching little flecks of dark brown sprinkle down to rest on my plate. I blew at it gently, watching the specks scatter and blow into the air. _

_A violent screech and a peck on the shoulder alerted me to the owl carrying the _ Daily Prophet _in her beak. "Thanks," I said softly to her, putting five Knuts into her pouch. She ruffled her feathers importantly, spread her wings, and flew off. _

_An advertisement for Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover showed off a brightly outlined dancing broom. Beside it was Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions._

_This reminded me of Eloise's great-grandmother's dress robes. Eloise had to wear them. I almost laughed in my head at Eloise in those puce frilly rags. But then I remembered that Eloise wasn't really my friend anymore. _

_But she would look stunning in those silvery-gray robes. _

**XVX**

**Eloise's POV**

Julien sent me those dress robes. I know it.

**XVX**

"Julien!" I called over the heads of all the other Beauxbatons students. "JULIEN!"

He turned, his face pleasantly surprised. "Hey, Louise!" He fought his way through to me. Soon I was staring right at his chest. His arms enveloped me in a warm hug. My face was buried in his sweater and a scent of spices clung to him. He held me at arm's length and probed my gray eyes with his own green ones.

"Julien…" I whispered, my voice was hoarse. Not good.

"Mm hm?" He hugged me again.

"I forgive you."


	19. Chapter 19

**I started a new fan fiction! Yay me! Check it out if you want. It's called The Messiest Memories. __****Full Summary: Gilderoy Lockhart remembers one face from his past: the face of a witch who studies dragons. As each of his memories unfurl in his dreams he begins to worry about what he may have done to her. The only thing that comforts him is that Dueling with Dragons was never published. Follow him as he drags his Healer along with him to find clues from the past. ** **Poor Gildy. If you are interested, read it. But be warned, it is NOTHING like Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball.**

**Just to clear things up, Hannah sent those dress robes to Eloise. Sweet, dear, poor, Eloise thinks that they're from Julien. **

**The next chapter is the "Before the Ball" chapter. I think. I might change my mind. I wrote "Before the Ball" sometime around the tenth chappie. I didn't know what chapter it would be so I just called it "Before the Ball." **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did I would have him locked up in Azkaban and I would be the one giving him the Kiss. **

**I have to retake the French exam that I got a 75 percent on.**

Chapter 19

I can't believe he got something that gorgeous for me. I tried it on. The dress robes almost sighed around me. Merlin, they are so freaking gorgeous! It barely rustled when I moved, but it swayed delicately around me. Julien has such a good eye for sizes.

I absolutely refuse to look in the mirror. I'm going to save that for tomorrow. Yeah, I'm excited and yeah, the Yule Ball will cause me loss of much-needed sleep. I want to see myself in the mirror tomorrow and I want to gasp loudly. And I want to be able to feel amazing. And if I don't gasp or feel amazing, I won't go. But I hope I do, even if I am going stag.

Hannah still upsets me. Do something, girl! I want to come up to her and scream as loud as I can into her ear, but I think she's still deaf from Ernie's impact. He's everything a girl should want, except for a few secrets. But still, he isn't good enough for Hannah. I look at Ernie and all I can see is hate. I can't even figure out why!

He guards Hannah, claiming him for his own, every second of the day, but he doesn't love her. Why waste your time without pleasure? Maybe he is getting pleasure.

And no, I don't mean it the way you may have thought I meant it.

Ernie and Justin have been friends forever, but Ernie has always been the greedier of the two. I can't quite explain it, but Ernie gets what he wants without even lifting a finger while Justin toils away for years. Yes, YEARS! For YEARS Justin has loved Hannah. He has gained her friendship, trust, and love. He wanted, beyond anything, her affection. And Justin has earned it while Ernie steps in and magically gains her in less than one month.

Justin hasn't spoken of the Accidental Ask-Out. I'm glad. He only asked me out because he was hurting and wanted – no, needed – to be able to feel better. It's a good thing he asked me, and not another girl. Any other girl would have said yes.

Julien has changed me. I don't know how. I'm more confident, maybe. I hold myself differently. I look people in their eyes when I talk to them. I can do things. It makes me feel good. I can cry and then a minute later be fine again. Before I met him I couldn't cry. I knew that if I let myself go and cried with such reckless abandon, I would probably never stop. Now I'm not afraid to cry anymore.

I've learned how to show emotions. If you suppress them they will only be doubled, until you are left cowering beneath their weight. It's hard to stand up with those emotions pressing down on you, not letting you BREATHE. I want to breathe.

But the only sad part about this is leaving Louise behind. I met Louise because of Julien. How could he just pry her out of my grasp like that?

I wish that I could feel her here inside of me, trying to bubble forth. But all I feel is Eloise – a new Eloise. Is a new Eloise still Eloise?

Louise wasn't there to say, 'But 'cha love me!'

So I couldn't retort, 'You know, some day you will say that to your boyfriend after he tells you that things aren't working out. And he'll say that no, he doesn't love you. And he'll break up with you.'

Life was sad. At least I could cry now.

**XvX**

Justin is depressed again. He knows that he is out of time. He is ready to face the truth. But he will not go down without a fight. "Ernie," he said curtly, "Do you have to steal your once-best mate's girlfriend or is that some sort of advantage of even having a best mate?"

Ernie kept his face blank and calm. He was seated in one of the cushy black-and-yellow pinstriped armchairs with his Potion's book. Hannah was probably in the library or still eating dinner in the Great Hall. It was strange that he was away from her for once. Maybe he was trying to goad out Justin's angry side.

_Go Justin!_

Ernie looked at me weird. "Oops," I said. I had cheered aloud for Justin. How come I always manage to make a fool of myself even when I'm not really involved in whatever is going on? It's not fair!

"Do you have some sort of multiple-personality disorder?" Ernie snapped at me.

"Actually, I do," I smiled widely, flashing my bright, shiny, teeth at him. I hoped it was a menacing smile.

"Don't take this out on her," Justin growled, his eyes still trained on Ernie.

"_You're_ the one who is unsatisfied with life. Not me. I am _very_ satisfied," Ernie gave Justin a predatory glare.

_Ew._

Ernie looked back at me, a little confused. "What?"

Shit. I had spoken aloud again, hadn't I? "That's just WRONG." He still looked confused. "You're very _SATIFIED_ ?" His brow was furrowed. "Don't think too hard, your brain might explode," I advised him.

"He doesn't have one," Justin replied, eyes on Ernie. I sighed. I guess no one got my 'SATISFIED' joke. Weren't boys supposed to be perverts? And Ernie's the one with the handcuffs.

Ernie ignored me and my jokes. I wasn't trying to lighten the mood. But I don't think I was darkening it, either. "You wanna go?" Ernie said to Justin. I stifled my laughter. Ernie ignored me yet again. COULD BOYS BE ANY MORE DRAMATIC?

"Yeah, sure. We could do the whole countdown thing," said Justin sarcastically as Hannah walked in.

"Countdown?" she whispered.

"They've started to take interest in wrestling, a Muggle sport," I said, grinning.

"Wrestling?"

"Yeah, basically two guys rolling on the floor together."

Hannah looked like she didn't know whether to laugh or to ignore me as well. She just let out a sort of choked half-laugh. Ernie turned purple and Justin turned white. "I'm not gay," he said fervently to Hannah.

"That's… good to know…"

"It's late; we'd all better get to sleep," I said, "Now boys, no wrestling in bed."


	20. Chapter 20

**TOMORROW IS ELOISE MIDGEN AND THE YULE BALL'S ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY!! **

**DISCLAIMER: Fred and George are smexy (my friend's little sister's favorite word) beasts. So obviously I didn't create them… Ew. I would be like their MOM. But thankfully I'm not. **

**It was a hard decision, but I made it. I didn't know whether Eloise should turn out gorgeous or just okay looking. The whole reason she is who she is is because she has always been unattractive and pimply. **

**Here's an extra long chapter 20!**

Chapter 20

"Eloise? Are you awake?"

"No," I groaned.

"Merry Christmas," Hannah said softly.

Shoot. I hadn't gotten her a present.

"Here, I got you a present," she shook me gently. I almost groaned again. What was I supposed to say? 'I didn't get you a present because I thought we weren't friends'?

"Uh. Thanks…," I said, sitting up. She held out a long, slender box.

"I thought it would go well with those dress robes I got you."

"Julien got those for me," I said, too sleepy to process the information I was given.

Her eyes sparkled with hurt and tears that bubbled up. "NO. I GOT YOU THOSE."

"But," I stuttered, "but I thought Julien did. I thought… I thought he was apologizing." He never actually said that he had given them to me. I was such an idiot.

"Don't tell me that you FORGAVE that bastard," she shrieked, her voice high and nervous.

"I did," I whispered. I FORGAVE HIM. I looked away from Hannah and ran a hand through my hair. My fingers got tangled in my unruly, just-got-out-of-bed hair. I forgave him. And he accepted. That had actually happened. But those gorgeous robes were from…. HANNAH. "Well, thank you for the robes," I said as normally as I could. My voice came out weirdly strangled and broken. "But I didn't get you anything."

I didn't want to look up. Would she be staring at me, as broken as I was? Would she hit me or yell at me? A glare would hurt the most.

"Eloise," she said. I couldn't look up. "I just want you to be my friend."

"Okay," my voice trembled. "Sure," I said more firmly. I tried to smile. "I've missed you."

She sat on the edge of my bed and hugged me. "I've missed you too."

**XvX**

I took a deep breath, mentally steadying myself. And turned to face the full-length mirror.

A young woman was there, gaping back at me in an unladylike manner. Her skin was clear and had a soft glow. Her nose stood proud and straight, very symmetrical. Her intense gray eyes were softened by a light use of eyeliner and a thick fringe of lashes under arched eyebrows. The light pink, ripe lips were wide open, revealing teeth as white as a Yeti's fur. The stubborn chin gave her face character. She blinked stupidly a few times, those eyelashes almost brushing her cheeks.

Tentatively, she reached her hand out to pat her hair. Soft coils of chocolate brown ringlets cascaded over her shoulders and down her back. She tugged on one nervously and then let go. It sprang up.

Her dress robes were a magnificent silver-white silk material with a floaty top layer of white see-through fabric. It floated around her like air. The arms were skintight three-quarter length of white cobweb lace. The neckline was a wide oval, showing off her collarbones and delicate shoulders. The fabric was comfortably tight to her waist where it dropped until it almost touched the floor. Comfortable silver peep-toe wedges were on her feet.

This was not Eloise Midgen. I didn't know who the hell this was but it wasn't me. I started to cry. Yes, I know that was the dumbest thing I could have done at that point. But wasn't this what Julien wanted to turn me into?

I don't really know how long I just stood there.

Where was that spotted face that I saw every time I looked into the mirror? That not-always-happy glance? Where was that characteristically off-center nose that I was famous for or my dorky smile that ALWAYS lit up my gray eyes to seem brighter? Where was Eloise Midgen behind this mask? And more importantly, how do you get back something that you have lost forever? You can't. If you did, it wouldn't be something that you had lost forever because that would be just contradictory.

Sometime between my throat-wrenching sobs and tears Hannah came in. "Eloise..." her voice trailed off uncertainly, "Are you okay...?" I turned towards her. "Oh, Eloise!" She ran towards me and hugged me tightly. "Shh...shh... Eloise, you're beautiful..."

"NO I'M NOT!" I yelled, yanking myself out of her grasp. "ELOISE IS UGLY!"

I watched as her eyes filled with tears.

"Eloise is dead..." I said, softer, hugging myself. I felt like a little kid all dressed up in her mother's clothes: awkward and dorky.

She tentatively took a step towards me.

"HANNAH! ARE YOU READY?" Ernie's voice called.

"Go to your date," I ordered.

"I'll be right back," she promised, blinking back her tears as she ran down the stairs.

"Hannah! You look great!" I heard.

"I'm REALLY sorry Ernie! Eloise is having a really hard time. I need to be with her now," Hannah's voice said softly.

"Bloody hell, Hannah. What the fuck is wrong with you?! I can't believe you're DOING this to me! You GIRLS are so INDECISIVE. Always changing your fucking minds!" Ernie's voice was hysterical.

"Leave. Her. Alone." Who was that? Oh! It was Justin.

"What did you say to me?"

"LEAVE HER ALONE, YOU BASTARD," Justin said, a little more calmly.

"SHE agreed to this Yule Ball thing with you. Then she ditched you. She's doing the same fucking thing to me. She's toying with us, man."

I found myself crawling towards the stairs. I wiped away my tears and got up onto my feet.

"Justin," I heard Hannah cry, "Justin, I'm really sorry. I wanted to go with you. I REALLY DID."

"She's messing with your fucking mind, too!"

My right foot moved. And I set it down on the first step. My left foot slid onto the same step.

"Can't you tell when a girl is messing with you, Justin? Or are you really THAT dim?"

I heard a soft squeak from Hannah.

My feet kept moving.

"RICTASEMPRA!" cried a male voice.

"PROTEGO!" roared another.

I didn't know whether to be relieved or disappointed. I couldn't tell the two angry, male voices apart.

My feet moved again. The last step. I stumbled down.

"She's got you whipped, man." Ernie's voice was full of scorn.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" This voice was mine. Eloise Midgen's. All three of them stared at me. Hannah's eyes were fearful and wide, Justin's bright with hot anger, and Ernie's was darkened with rage.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled over and over, eyes squinted closed, fists clenched so tightly that my fingernails dug into flesh.

Ernie's eyes held terror and doubt, as well as awe. I think that I found the courage to continue from frightening him. I was affecting him.

I made myself as calm as I could and continued. "Ernie, you bastard. I've never liked you," I said bluntly. "You're a testosterone-filled jerk. Remember those fluffy pink handcuffs? I do." I gave him a winning smile. "I bet that most of the school, including Snape and Mickey, were probably wondering where THEY came from..."

"Midgen, if you say a word, you'll regret it," he said, his voice dangerously low.

"Don't worry, Ernie," I laughed heartily. "I won't say a word. In fact, I have a whole speech planned. I just need a test audience..."

He muttered something that rhymed with 'witch.'

"Hm? What was that, again?"

He walked out the entrance, scowling.

"Are you okay?" Justin said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I assured him. "Have fun at the ball, you two."

"We won't leave a friend here in this state!" Hannah said.

"How many chances do you have to go to a Yule Ball with your one true love?" I smiled.

Hannah gave me a guilty look. "Go," I said again.

"Hannah, let's just go," Justin laced his fingers through hers. "I don't think if we threatened her with a pygmy puff tattoo she would give in."

"Okay," said Hannah reluctantly, as she turned to go.

"Oh, and Hannah?"

"Yeah?"

"You look amazing," I told her.

She glowed happily and left through the entrance with Justin.

**XvX**

I cleaned myself up as well as I could. My face was streaked with tears, my eyes still slightly pink-tinted. I had almost ripped a hole right through my robes when I crawled on my knees towards the stairs.

I looked in the mirror one last time. I smiled at my reflection. But my face just looked uncertain, my smile all wrong. I could see that in my eyes there was no joy. I could only hope that I didn't have to smile for pictures tonight.

Going stag is the worst thing ever.

**XvX**

The Yule Ball seriously wasn't that amazing. The music was okay. People talked too loud. The bowl of butterbeer magically replenished (either Dumbledore hadn't noticed a sixth-year Ravenclaw spiking it with firewhiskey or he choose not to notice). Everyone was all dressed up. Guys stood around, reluctant to dance with their overeager partners.

But Julien was there. Sure, he was rude and he didn't really send me these gorgeous dress robes, but still. It was Christmas, and I didn't feel like being mad anymore.

"Hey!" I called to him. "Wanna dance?"

"Sure!" he called back. He waded through the crowd and grabbed my waist, pulling me comfortably close. A slow song was playing. I let my arms slide up his back, wrapping around his neck. Merlin, he was tall. We swayed like that for a while. Then the song ended.

"Hey, I'm really sorry about before when I offered-"

"It's fine," I said to him softly. His lips looked soft and enticing. I turned my head up, drawing his mouth down to mine.

He pulled away, giving me a weird look.

"Julien?"

"I'm gay."

You don't suddenly decide to be gay when a girl wants to kiss you. Wouldn't it be more practical to say that he has a girlfriend or something? "I thought that now that I looked different you'd like me." I bit my lip.

"Eloise, I'm seriously gay. I have a boyfriend," he said agitatedly, stepping away from me.

A part of my mind realized that all of the clues added up. How could any straight male NOT be attracted to Fleur Delacour? And the whole 'dress-me-up-so-I'll-look-beautiful' thing was something that only a gay guy would do. Wasn't there some weird muggle show 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy' or something where these gay muggles dress up a straight guy?

"Oh, okay." I thought I was taking this pretty well. Aside from being mortified that I tried to kiss a gay boy. I cleared my throat. "That's fine, then." Well, this was awkward.

He grinned at me suddenly. "If you stand here for the rest of the night, I'll never forgive you. Go find a straight boy to dance with before I set you up with one."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled and headed toward Seamus.

"Girl pirates are so hot," I heard him say.

"You mean wenches," said Dean.

"No, I mean girl pirates. They're so hot!"

I changed direction instantly and walked hastily back to Julien's side.

"Miss me?" he said, laughing.

Angelina and George were dancing wildly, limbs flailing. Ron was looking bored, watching Hermione sighing blissfully in Krum's arms. Hannah was looking up into Justin's eyes as Justin leaned down. I was so not ready for that visual image. Colin Creevy had snuck in somehow. Goyle wasn't dancing. Maybe I should go over… I laughed quietly to myself.

"Oh, that one's not straight," he said, nodding toward Goyle.

"How do you know?"

"It's all in the walk." He smiled. "He DOES have a nice arse, though. I can see why you picked him."

I smacked him as he sniggered.

Goyle was the most disgusting, foul, thing ever to walk on the surface of the earth.

I walked up to someone, tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, do you want to dance?"

He smiled at me. "Sure," Colin Creevy said. He was only a few inches taller than me, but at least I wouldn't have to crane my neck to look up at him.

He took my hand and led me onto the dance floor. From here I could see Julien giving me the thumbs up.

Colin slid his arms around me, sweetly looking down into my eyes. He had really pretty eyes, too. They were large and dark blue, flecked with specks of gold around the edges. He gently pulled me closer and I let my head rest on his neck, closing my eyes.

Yep, he had definitely gotten taller.

It would have been the sweetest moment, if at that second the song hadn't changed. The Weird Sisters started a screamo rock song.

"Ow."

Colin smiled down at me and pulled me into the crowd of thrashing bodies closer to the stage. I learned two things about him that night. He was a Goth headbanger at heart, despite his blond hair. And later I found out that he could kiss. Really well.

**XvX**

He walked me back to the Hufflepuff entrance at around midnight. Colin smiled sadly. "Well, goodnight." He started to walk away but I grabbed his arm at the last second, pulling him to me. He gently let his lips brush mine, tentatively. My lips parted on their own with a soft moan as my body crushed against his. He pulled back, but swiftly returned with another kiss.

A few minutes too soon, Colin gently pulled his lips away from mine. A small smile lingered on his mouth. "Goodnight," I said softly, watching him grin and slowly back away, waving at me. He accidentally bumped into one of the suits of armor and the whole thing came toppling down. Colin jumped aside just as it hit the floor. We both flinched at the noise. He gave me a last glance and a worried smile and ran off before Filch would arrive.

I found myself smiling as I slipped into the common room.

Nights like these were always the wildest. And the next morning you would be sore and aching. At least I wouldn't wake up with Goyle draped on top of me.

T**XvX**

The night is still young. Julien grinned and walked up to Goyle. "Hey, do ya wanna dance?" This would be a fun test…

Goyle gave him a swift once-over. This blond wasn't bad looking, but he was saving himself for someone else. "Nah, I've promised someone else a dance," he said, taking Crabbe's hand.

Julien smiled. At least he wouldn't have to wake up with Goyle draped on top of him.

**The part where Eloise looks in the mirror was written a while ago, but I wasn't sure where my story was going to go, yet, so I had to substitute a lot of things. I've known Julien was gay since I started to write chappie 2! Surprised? **

**THIS IS NOT THE END OF ELOISE MIDGEN AND THE YULE BALL. THERE'S STILL ONE – MAYBE TWO – CHAPTERS LEFT. **

**Tell me what you think about Eloise/Colin. He's adorable! I didn't realize that they were going to end up together until last week. That's why I didn't really write him into the story much. **

**I'm really sorry for all of you that were disappointed because of anything in this chapter. A lot of things happened that were unexpected. (Except for the Justin/Ernie fight. Was that considered a fight? Was it good? Bad? I had a lot of trouble writing the dialogue for that…)**

**Well, review. Even if you hate it, I want to know. **

**-R**


	21. Chapter 21

**DISCLAIMER: Still not JKR.**

**Ew. I have a French project and exam on Tuesday. NOO. And on the 4th I have another project due. I haven't even started researching for it and my partner for the project is camping this weekend and doing something else next weekend. AHH.**

**TODAY IS ELOISE MIDGEN AND THE YULE BALL'S ONE MONTH ANNIVERSARY! **

**ON TO THE STORY!**

Chapter 21

"Don't you ever feel lonely?" I asked Julien.

"Yes. Every day that my boyfriend's not with me."

"I thought so."

"But we'll be together again," he smiled. "It will just be a while until then. But I would wait decades for him."

I smiled sadly, feeling bad for my friend. "What's his name?"

"Raoul."

"You will only be waiting a few more months, though," I said reassuringly.

"They will seem like centuries," he stated.

"Yes, they will. But you have friends here."

"Yes, I do."

We linked pinkies and smiled.

"But while these months may seem like centuries to you, they'll go by too quickly for me," I shook my head sadly. "I'll miss you."

"We WILL keep in touch, though," he said firmly.

"These things," I started, "These things just fall apart."

"What do you mean?"

"Connections. We can't control if we keep in touch or not. It just HAPPENS."

"We still have five more months."

"If you said we had five more YEARS I wouldn't be satisfied. It would be a deadline looming above our heads. And you want to see Raoul again."

"Yes," he whispered.

Memories don't last. They can exist an indefinite number of hours. An indefinite number of days. Of years. They will all slip away eventually, leaving you with something that you can try to grasp at, but not quite get to. I had a feeling that our relationship was going to be another forgotten dream.

**XvX**

Time passed.

I went on dates with Colin and hung out with Julien. Hannah and Justin were happy together. In fact, EVERYONE was happy. So I guess I could say that we all lived happily ever after, but actually now that I think of it not ALL of us did. I handcuffed Ernie to Malfoy. I couldn't help it, and it is REALLY not my fault at all. ERNIE is the one who had them. Filch has now put magical handcuffs on his list of banned items. Too bad that no one would ever find out that I was the one who first started the trend. The Weasley Twins handcuffed Filch to Mrs. Norris, but that only made him angrier. I don't think they'll come off for a while…

**XvX**

Happy ending? Cedic Diggory DIED. A weird kind of gloom spreads, infecting everyone. I CAN'T STAND IT. It poisons everyone. Colin is depressed and I can't stand to look at Hannah or Justin. They've barely said a word to each other.

**XvX**

I caught sight of Mr. Diggory and I wished I hadn't. The anguish and desperation on his face was nothing to what I felt.

I started crying and then felt two arms envelop me. Julien. I cried harder because he was leaving.

I was never going to see him again.

**XvX**

It affects us all in different ways. Death, I mean.

It can make some people grateful. It can turn other people suicidal. It can make other people rejoice. And It can make other people brooding and surly.

It could have happened to anyone. And I disgust myself for being happy that it wasn't me. But it was a Hufflepuff who died. It was a Hogwarts STUDENT. It was a wizard. It was a person.

I look outside now and wonder why everything can look bright. The sky is bright blue with those damned fluffy clouds. I turn away, but I don't want to. The brightness hurts my eyes and I yank the curtains around my bed.

Looking at anyone else I can see a reflection of myself. Squinty-eyed students are everywhere. I can't get away from them. Cho Chang doesn't eat. She doesn't sleep. I can see it in her eyes. She's as scared as the rest of us. It could have been anyone. Hannah and I have stayed in our room whenever we could. We sleep all day. When we wake we find food left out for us by the house-elves. They just keep working. Can't they see that it could have been them?

Dumbledore calls us to the Great Hall. How can he look that calm? I want to break him. He talks. How can he TALK when this has happened?

He talks about how Cedric Diggory was such a GOOD Hufflepuff and how he valued fair play. When Voldemort can cheat, how will we ever win being fair? He said that by not telling us that Voldemort killed Cedric, he was insulting Cedric's memory.

But by telling us that Voldemort had killed Cedric, he was igniting the fear that everyone had started to feel.

**XvX**

We watched the Beauxbatons leave. Hannah had told me that Julien didn't like goodbyes, so therefore there wouldn't be a goodbye.

That was all right with me.

**XvX**

Colin found me hiding in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. He tried his hardest to convince me to come out of there. I yelled at him.

He just shrugged it off and said very softly, "It takes true pain to experience true pleasure." He left.

I realized that those words went along with what Dumbledore had once told me.

"_The other day I was helping the house–elves down in the kitchen cut a turkey. I cut myself – by accident of course. It hurt a lot. After the pain went away I realized that my finger felt better than it had before I had cut it."_

When would I get to experience the true pleasure half of the deal, though?

**This chapter is dedicated to my amazing friend, scholarlydimwit. I never would have kept writing without you. I will miss you so much and think of you always. Keep in touch and always do what seems craziest because sometimes it actually turns out okay. I don't want this to turn out with me sending you cards for holidays and you regretting not ever writing to me when these cards come to you. I won't be like that girl who still does that and makes you feel guilty. I will really miss you. I think I already said that. But I really can't think of anything to write. I'm crying too much. I love you and I'm really sorry that sometimes I can be annoying and idiotic, but that's just me being human. I'll miss you forever. Email or call me whenever you can. **

_**I may write an epilogue. ** _ **But just in case I forget, I'd like to thank the following people (in alphabetical order). **

**angel718 (Yes, I love writing about people who no one really thinks about. It's really fun and I have a chance to bring originality out!)**

**Cherrypie00 (I guess Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball is kind of original. But the love triangle part has been used billions of times.)**

**Enchantingelana (THANKS FOR STICKING WITH THE STORY AND REVIEWINGGGGG!)**

**EvilLittleNerd1981 (For being awesomeful! YOU NEED SWEDISH FISH!)**

**Friendly Legolas Sporker (Eloise Midgen and the Yule Ball is CUTE? Well, I guess it sorta is…)**

**Glitterpaw Of Thunderclan (Yes, you must reread the books. I'm rereading them right now!)**

**HazelWish (Thanks for telling me not to change Eloise. Though, I think I did change her and her personality… SORRY!!)**

**IH8Abbreviations (For giving my story substance. Without you the Justin/Hannah/Ernie thing wouldn't exist.)**

**Kore-of-Myth (For giving great advice.)**

**Lillie Lyana (Thanks for saying that I have a lot of talent! I can't believe the story is just about over!)**

**MatoakaWilde (For being one of my first reviewers!)**

**MegaBellatrixFreak (Good luck with your story! I hope it's really long!) **

**Scholarlydimwit (For being an amazing friend and keeping me from bashing myself when I only had two reviews.)**

**TheNightimeSky (Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket/Never let it fade away. MUST WATCH MOVIE FOR THE THOUSANDTH TIME!)**

**ThePurpleKiwi (My personality is like ELOISE'S?! –gasp- ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I love Eloise and everything, but in real life I'm nothing like her.)**

**Wildx.xAngel (For being one of my first reviewers!)**

**THANK YOU ALL FOR READING AND REVIEWING. YOU'RE WONDERFUL! **

**-R**


	22. Epilogue

**This chapter is dedicated to my sister (though she will never know of its existence) who will be embarking on her own adventure shortly. I hope she has fun during her next four years, but I'll be in the airport bathroom crying my eyes out while she gets on the plane. **

**Because you demanded an epilogue, I said okay. Next time don't ask. It is nearly impossible for me to write a happy ending. If it was possible for me to write a happy ending, I would – for Eloise. If you hate me for doing this, yell all you want. I'm mad at myself too.**

**Thank you for reading.**

**Bye,**

**RadicalReason**

_Epilogue – On the Hogwarts Express_

"Let's go find a compartment," Hannah sang, grabbing her boyfriend's hand.

Colin laughed and pulled me after them. Then he stopped. "Hmm. Maybe we should get our own compartment," he said, grinning. I wasn't about to object, but Hannah gave me a weird look, accompanied by a guttural growling noise and grabbed my sleeve. Colin shrugged. "Another time then."

After a few minutes of nibbling on chocolate frogs (mine nearly hopped out the door, but Colin grabbed it just in time) Hannah's eyes got strangely dreamy. "If I had the wings of an owl," she began to sing. "Into the woods I would fly."

She gestured at me. "Would fly," I echoed.

"There to remain as an owl."

"An owl." Justin and Colin looked at each other and winced at my off-key tone.

"Until the day that I die." The last few notes drifted off slowly and quietly. Hannah hadn't noticed what she was about to say until she had said it. I looked away, out of the window. You never realized how much you talked about dying until someone you knew died. It could just be a simple, "OMIGOSH I WOULD TOTALLY DIE IF THAT HAPPENED TO ME" but it still ended awkwardly.

Colin began weakly, "If I had the wings of a toad."

"A toad," Justin echoed.

"Into the woods I would fly."

"Would fly," Justin and I chorused together.

"There to remain as a toad."

"A toad."

"Until the day that I die."

"I die?" I sang to Hannah.

"I die," she replied.

"I DIE!"

We flashed each other identical grins. "DRRRRROP DEAD!"

"Chorus!" I chimed.

"Ooh la la ooh la la ooh la. Ooh la la ooh la la la!"

"AGAIN."

"Ooh la la ooh la la ooh la. Ooh la la ooh la la la!"

"If I had the wings of a-" I started, but our compartment door slid open. There stood Pansy Parkinson and her sycophants.

Her face was temporarily frozen in shock. "ELOISE?" she peered into my gray eyes. "Is that YOU?!" she said, almost rudely. "You look so… different."

I smiled. "That's funny. You don't look different at all."

She slammed the door only a few seconds before we had started the next verse. I was sure she heard me. "If I had the wings of a Pansy."

"A Pansy."

"Into the woods I would fly."

"Would fly."

"There to remain as a Pansy."

"A Pansy."

"Until the day that I die."

**XvX**

_About three years later…_

"Don't stay here," I pleaded with him.

He smiled, but I had never seen his face so grim. He was determined. "I have to."

"My parents are taking me home."

"Good, you'll be safe." It was almost funny how two boys could be so alike, except so different. Hold the funny. I was glad that this one wasn't gay.

"Colin," I hated how whiny my voice sounded. "Don't do this. This war isn't some game that you dress up for and then you can just stop whenever it gets too intense."

"Dennis needs me to stay here with him."

"Well, take Dennis and go home. PLEASE."

He touched my cheek with icy fingers. His smile was still in place.

_His face wasn't that of the boy I remembered loving. But I still loved him. So I watched while he walked away. And even today I still remember exactly what his words were when he told me he loved me and then stabbed my heart with his love of his brother over his love of me._


End file.
